GIFT  OF 
Felix  J^'lu^el 


THE   TRUTH 

ABOUT 

THE   PHILIPPINE^ 


Official  Records  and  Authentic 
Sources 


HISTORY  FREEMASONS 

RELIGION 

POLITICS 

SOCIETY 

SPANISH  FRIARS  reforms 


A  Reference  Review 


By  H.  H.  VAN  METER 


PUBLISHED    BY 

THE  LIBERTY  LEAGUE 

1 66  South  Clinton  Street 
CHICAGO 


Copyright  1900 

By 

H.  H.  VAN  METER. 


Publisher's  Note 


This  book  was  in  press  early  in  September,  but 
it  was  withheld  from  publication  until  after  the 
presidential  election,  lest  it  might  be  mistaken  for 
a  campaign  document.  It  was  not  intended  for 
partisan  or  political  purposes.  It  is  a  candid  and 
conscientious  presentation,  aside  from  all  partisan 
bias  or  sectarian  prejudice,  of  the  conditions  ex- 
isting in  the  Philippines  and  the  causes  which 
have  brought  them  about.  Its  statements  are 
drawn  from  oflScial  records  and  from  other  sources, 
the  authenticity  of  which  is  beyond  an  honest 
doubt.  It  is  offered  to  the  public,  not  as  a  new 
sensation,  but  as  a  reliable  review  of  permanent 
value. 


\/ 


FROM  A  LETTER  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN, 

AUGUST,  IS,  1855. 

((Complete  Works,  Vol.  1,  page  216.) 

"When  we  were  political  slaves  of  King  George  and 
wanted  to  be  free  we  called  the  maxim  that  'all  men  are 
created  equal'  a  self-evident  truth;  but  now,  when  we  have 
grown  fat  and  have  lost  all  dread  of  being  slaves  our- 
selves, we  have  become  so  greedy  to  be  masters  that  we 
call  the  same  maxim,  'a  self-evident  lie.'  The  Fourth  of 
July  has  not  quite  dwindled  away;  it  is  still  a  great  day — 
for  burning  fire-crackers!" 


FROM  AN  ADDRESS  BY  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN, 
SEPTEMBER  11,  1858. 

(Reported    In    Chicago    Daily    Press    and    Tribune,    Sept.     15,    1858.) 

"Our  reliance  is  in  the  love  of  liberty  which  God  has 
planted  in  our  bosoms.  Our  defense  is  in  the  preservation 
of  the  spirit  which  prizes  liberty  as  the  heritage  of  all 
men,  in  all  lands,  everywhere.  Destroy  this  spirit  and  you 
have  planted  the  seeds  of  despotism  around  your  own 
doors.  Familiarize  yourselves  with  the  chains  of  bondage, 
and  you  are  preparing  your  own  limbs  to  wear  them. 
Accustomed  to  trample  on  the  rights  of  those  around 
you,  you  have  lost  the  genius  of  your  own  independence, 
and  become  the  fit  subjects  of  the  first  cunning  tyrant  who 
rises  among  you." 


DEDICATION 


** Ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make 
you  free." — ^John  8:32. 

To  you,  who  have  the  love  of  liberty  in  your  heart, 
and  to  the  cause  of  freedom  for  which  our  fathers  and 
our  forefathers  fought  and  fell,  and  to  all  those  who  have 
been,  who  now  are,  or  may  yet  be  its  defenders,  in  life, 
or  in  death,  and  above  all  to  The  Ordainer  of  true  lib- 
erty for  all  alike,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  weak  and 
strong,  this  book  is  dedicated,  with  the  hope  that  these, 
researches  in  official  and  other  authentic  records  may 
prove  invaluable  in  the  formation  of  a  correct  and  con- 
scientious public  opinion  upon  the  all-important  topics 
treated  herein. 


3 


PREFACE. 


"Careless  seems  the  great  Avenger;  history's  pages  but  record 
One  death-grapple  in  the  darkness,  'twixt  false  systems  and  the 

Word. 
Truth  forever  on  the  scaffold,  wrong  forever  on  the  throne ; 
Yet  that  scaffold  sways  the  future,  and  behind  the  dim  unknown, 
Standeth  God  within  the  shadow,  keeping  watch  above  His  own." 

— ^Lowell. 

The  official  records  of  the  United  States  are  full  of  in- 
formation of  vital  interest  and  importance  to  all  patriotic 
Americans.  It  is  often  impossible  for  some  of  our  best 
citizens  to  obtain  copies  of  these  documents  when  most 
desired.  Frequently  when  access  to  them  is  easy,  it  is 
impossible  for  busy  people  to  spare  time  to  peruse  them. 
For  these  reasons,  this  brief  review  of  official  records, 
concerning  the  Philippine  question,  has  been  prepared, 
supplemented  by  press  reports  and  other  public  papers, 
upon  matters  of  utmost  interest  and  importance  at  pres- 
ent to  every  citizen. 

Neither  partisan  prejudice,  sectarian  bias,  nor  mer- 
cenary motives  have  prompted  it,  but  a  sincere  desire  to 
establish  the  truth. 


CONTENTS, 


INTRODUCTION ii 

Chapter. 

I.  DISCOVERY,  CONQUEST  AND  CONTENTIONS: 
Evidence  of  Prof.  Dean  C.  Worcester,  Mr.  John  Fore- 
man and  Rev.  Father  Ambrose  Coleman — Outrages  of 
Religious    Orders 13 

II.  RIZAL  AND  REFORMS:  Evidence  of  Prof.  Wor- 
cester, Mr.  Foreman  and  Gen.  Chas.  A.  Whittier — Friars 
Appropriate  Property — Lack  Titles — Tyrannical  Land- 
lords      21 

III.  INSURRECTIONS  AND  CAUSES:  Immorality 
and  Brutality  of  the  Friars — M.  Andre,  Belgian  Consul, 
on  Gross  Injustice  to  Natives 31 

IV.  OPPRESSIONS  BY  THE  FRIARS:  Evidence  of 
Gen.  Whittier,  Gen.  F.  V.  Greene,  Mr.  Ramon  Reyes 
Lala,  Major  Frank  Bourns — Protest  against  Protestant 
Aggression    36 

V.  CATHOLICISM  IN  CHINA:  Priests  Usurp  Political 
Powers  and  Clash  with  Chinese  Officials — Rev.  Father  C. 
Frinn  on  Fortified  Missions — Causes  of  Conflict 44 

VI.  FREEMASONRY  AND  FREEDOM:  Freemasonry 
in  the  Philippines — Official  Figures — 4,000,000  Katipunans 
Claimed — Petitioning  Congress  for  Filipino  Independence  52 

VII.  PROMISES  OF  INDEPENDENCE:  Words  of 
Admiral  Dewey,  Sec.  Day,  Con.  Gen.  Pratt,  Con.  Gen. 
Wildman,  Gen.  T.  M,  Anderson,  Con.  Williams,  Gen.  E. 

S.  Otis  and  Pres.  McKinley 55 

VIIL  FITNESS  FOR  SELF-GOVERNMENT:  Testi- 
mony of  Con.  Gen.  Wildman,  Gen.  Anderson,  Gen.  Chas. 
King,  Lieut.  John  D.  Ford,  Admiral  Dewey,  Gen.  Whit- 
tier, Gen.  Lawton,  Pres.  Schurman,  Prof.  Worcester  and 
Gen.  Wheeler — Filipino  Congress  and  Constitution 60 

IX.  FILIPINO  CIVILIZATION  IN  LUZON:  Wilcox 
and  Sargent's  Reports — Dewey's  Official  Endorsement...  71 

5 


6  CONTENTS. 

Chapter. 

X.  AMERICAN  CIVILIZATION  IN  LUZON:  Official 
and  Press  Reports  of  First  Blood  Shed — Strict  Censor- 
ship— Hundreds  of  Licensed  Saloons — Brothels  and 
Opium  Dens 74 

XL  PEACEFUL,  BUT  PATRlOTICt  Wilcox  and  Sar- 
gent's Reports  Continued — Free  Thought,  Free  Schools 
and  Freedom  in  the  Philippines 8"^ 

XII.  THE  FILIPINO  NAVY:  Official  Statements  of 
Gen.  Greene  and  Aguinaldo — Co-operation  of  Americans 
and  Filipinos  at  Subig  Bay — Mutual  Confidence 91 

XIIL  AN  INTELLIGENT  DEMOCRACY:  Wilcox 
and  Sargent's  Reports  Confirmed  by  First  Philippine 
Commission — Independence  or  Death 97 

XIV.  SULU  SAVAGERY:  Evidence  of  Pres.  Schurman 
and  Gen.  Otis — Ericsson's  Experiences — British  Consul 
Sawyer  and  Grand  Duke  Alexis  on  Filipino  Refinement. .  99 

XV.  FREEMASONS  AND  KATIPUNANS:  Origin  of 
Katipunans — Report  of  Andreae  and  Reeves — Rescued  by 
Freemasonry — Filipino  Hospitality,  Wealth  and  Refine- 
ment— American  Prisoners  Praise  Filipinos — Freemasons 
versus  Friars   105 

XVI.  FRIARS  VERSUS  FREEMASONS:  Native 
Priests  Revolt  Against  Spanish  Friars — Excommunica- 
tion and  Extermination — Gen.  Whittier  on  Masonic  Mar- 
tyrdom— Consul  Williams  on  Awful  Cruelties 113 

XVII.  AMERICAN  MISDEMEANORS:  Evidence  of 
Gen,  Otis,  Gen.  Anderson,  Robt.  M.  Collins  and  John  T. 
McCutcheon — Sec.  Long  Tired  of  Slaughter — Official 
Praise  of  Filipinos 120 

XVIII.  FREEMASONRY  REVIVED:  Manila  Lodge- 
Saved  by  Masonic  Badge — Freemasons  and  Native  Priests 
Lead  Filipinos — President  McKinley  versus  Gens.  MacAr- 
thur,  Otis  and  Anderson — Masonic  Struggles 129 

XIX.  AGUINALDO  A  NATURAL  LEADER:  A  Ma- 
sonic Exile — Anecdotes  of  Aguinaldo — His  Account  of 
Insurrection  of  1896,  and  Treaty  of  Biak-na-bato 136 

XX.  AGUINALDO  NOT  BRIBED:  Vindicated  by 
American,  Spanish  and  Filipino  Records — Mr.  McKinley 
Misstates — Aguinaldo  Declines  Compromising  Induce- 
ments  143 


CONTENTS.  7 

i    Chapter. 

*  XXL  THE  SULU  SULTANATE:  Orders  to  Gen.  Bates 
— Mr.  McKinley  Misstates — Sulu  Treaty  and  Salary  List — 
Despotism,  Polygamy  and  Slavery  Sanctioned — A  Mc- 
Kinley Myth — Moro  Barbarities — Filipino  Enlighten- 
ment— Schurman  Scores  Jingoes 152 

i  XXIL  SOLDIERS  DISSATISFIED:  Official  Reports- 
Discharge  Demanded — Almost  a  Mutiny — Soldiers'  Let- 
ters— Pres.  McKinley's  Misstatements — Pres.  McKinley 
versus  Gens.  Anderson,  Otis,  MacArthur  and  Reeve 
— Lincoln  versus  McKinley — Poem,  "The  Flag  of  the 
Free" 163 

XXIIL  THE  RELIGIOUS  ORDERS  APPEAL  TO 
SPAIN  FOR  PROTECTION:  Their  Spiritual  Charges 
— One  Foreign  Friar  only  vs.  Every  10,000  Filipinos — 
Gen.  Blanco's  Ultimatum 176 

^  XXIV.  BROKEN  PROMISES,  SPANISH  AND 
AMERICAN:  Treaties  of  Zanjon  and  Biak-na-bato — 
Alejandrino  and  Aguinaldo  on  American  Promises 180 

XXV.  SPANISH  AND  FILIPINO  PROCLAMA- 
TIONS: Gov.-Gen.  Augustin's  Tirade — Friendly  Fili- 
pino  Manifesto — America's  Allies 184 

XXVL  THE  PHILIPPINE  REPUBLIC:  Consuls  Wil- 
liams and  Wildman  on  Organized  Republic — Another  Mc- 
Kinley Myth — Cuban  Conditions — Spanish  Censorship — 
Monastic   Tyranny 189 

XXVIL  OPPOSING  THE  WAR  FOR  FREEDOM: 
Spanish  Sympathizers,  Friends  of  the  Friars,  Financiers 
and  Politicians   Plot 195 

XXVIIL  CONGRESS  DECLARES  WAR  AGAINST 
SPAIN:  Cuban  Resolutions — Papal  Interests  and  Politi- 
cal Intrigues — Vast  Stolen  Estates  at  Stake 199 

XXIX.  CALL  FOR  FILIPINO  CO-OPERATION 
COMPLIED  WITH:  Evidence  from  Consuls  Wildman, 
Williams  and  Pratt — Filipino  Leaders  Return — 37,000 
Filipinos  co-operate — Dewey's  Report — Aguinaldo's  Hu- 
mane Decree 206 

XXX.  DECLARATION  OF  FILIPINO  INDEPEND- 
ENCE AND  REVOLUTIONARY  GOVERNMENT: 
Consul  Williams'  Report — Pope  Ofifers  Intervention — 
Filipino  Presidential  Messages — Aguinaldo  Declares 
Monastic  Corporations  Cause  of  Troubles — Dewey's  Of- 
ficial  Dispatch 213 


8  CONTENTS. 

Chapter. 

XXXI.  THE  FILIPINOS'  VALIANT  AND  VICTO- 
RIOUS FIGHT  FOR  FREEDOM:  Wonderful  Victor- 
ies— Spaniards  Surrender — Manila  Surrounded — Dewey's 
Acknowledgment — A  Pitiful  Appeal 219 

XXXII.  THE  CAUSES  OF  THE  CONFLICT:    British 
Occupation,     1762 — Default    in    Redemption — Bishop    of         j 
Oviedo  on  Troubles — Preaching  Against  Protestantism —        J( 
Spaniards  Tire  of  Fighting  for  Friars 224 

XXXIII.  THE  BETRAYAL  OF  OUR  ALLIES:  An- 
other Andre  and  Dewey  Divide  Honors — Filipinos  Faith- 
ful to  Finish — Betrayed  Under  Orders — Acknowledged  as 
Allies  by  Consul  Wildman,  Gen.  King,  Commander  Brad- 
ford, Gens.  Whittier,  Anderson  and  Otis — Similar  Tactics 
at  Santiago — Garcia  and  Aguinaldo  Protest — Poem, 
''Freedom  Forever!    Freedoip  for  All" 231 

XXXIV.  PLOTTING  FOR  THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE: 
Papal  Prelates  Active — Peace  Protocol  Violated 245 

XXXV.  RETENTION  OF  FRIARS  FATAL  TO 
PEACE:  Intensely  Hated  by  People — Nozaleda  Ack- 
nowledges "Religious  Orders  Must  Go" — Ireland  De- 
clares Friars  to  be  Retained .251 

XXXVI.  THE  RELEASE  OF  THE  FRIARS  DE- 
MANDED AND  REFUSED:  Charges  of  FiHpino 
Cruelty  Refuted  by  Dewey,  Otis  and  Whittier — Otis  Or- 
dered to  Demand  Release  of  Friars — Aguinaldo's  Un- 
answerable Replies — Letters  of  Consul  Williams  and 
Murat   Halstead 257 

XXXVII.  TREATY  OF  PEACE  AND  TITLE  TO  THE 
PHILIPPINES:  Filipino  Envoys  Ignored— Release  of 
Friars  Required — Articles  i,  2  and  3 — Spaniard's  Sting- 
ing Rebuke — Lincoln's  Telling  Sarcasm 275 

XXXVIII.  FILIPINOS  RESENT  AMERICAN 
FRIENDSHIP  FOR  FRIARS:  Otis'  Official  Evidence 
— Foremost  Philippine  Issue — Religious  Liberty  Betrayed 
— Excommunication  of  Aglipay — Ireland  and  Schurman 
on   Issues 281 

XXXIX.  INTERESTS  OF  THE  ROMAN  HIER- 
ARCHY IN  THE  ISLANDS:  Vast  Possessions  at  Stake 
— Filipinos  Petition  Expulsion  of  Friars — Chappelle  Ap- 
pointed Papal  Delegate — Controverted  Questions 285 

XL.  EDUCATIONAL  AFFAIRS  IN  THE  PHILIP- 
PINES: Gen.  Otis'  Official  Report— American  Catholic 
Circular  and  Chancellor  Barry  on  Public  Schools— Ireland 
and   Republican   Platform 294 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter. 

XLI.  CENSORSHIP  IN  THE  PHILIPPINES:  "The 
Manila  Democracia"  Suspends — "The  Times"  Threatened 
— "La  Patria"  Suppressed  and  Editor  Imprisoned — Play, 
"For   Love' of   Country,"   Suppressed 299 

XLIL  THE  TREATY  OF  PEACiE  AND  RELEASE  OF 
THE  FRIARS:  Article  6  Requires  Release  of  Friars— A 
Relieving    Expedition 303 

XLIII.  RETENTION  OF  FRIARS  RESENTED:  A  Re- 
ligious Revolt — Chappelle  Favors  Friars  and  Arouses  Ani- 
mosities     312 

XLIV.  CHAPPELLE  SEEKS  TO  RE-ESTABLISH. 
ECCLESIASTICAL  COURTS:  Mr.  Foreman  on  Ec- 
clesiastical Jurisdiction 3^7 

XLV.  NOZALEDA  DEMANDS  CONTINUATION  OF 
FRIAR  DOMINATION:  State  Support  of  Church— Pa- 
rochial Administration— Cost  of  Hierarchy— Friar  Frauds.321 

XLVL  FRUITS  OF  FRIAR  CORRUPTION:  Extor- 
tions— Licentiousness — Blackmail  —  Robbery— -Polygamy 
— A  Friar's  Romance — Inquisition  and  Acquisition 325 

XLVIL  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  WAR  OF  CON- 
QUEST: First  Shot  Fired— Scenes  of  Carnage— Indis- 
criminate  Slaughter 330 

XLVIII.  SUFFERING  FOR  FREEDOM'S  SAKE:  De- 
struction and  Death — Pathetic  Accounts — Murder,  not 
War   336 

XLIX.  HOW  A  HERO  DIED  FOR  FREEDOM: 
Gregorio  Del  Pilar — Robbing  the  Dead  and  Wronging  the 
Living  , 344 

L.  TERRIBLE  STRUGGLE  FOR  RELIGIOUS  LIB- 
ERTY: Heart-rending  Trials — Religious  Revolt  Aggra- 
vated by  Chappelle's  Attitude 351 

LI.  CHAPPELLE'S  RECEPTION  AND  ANTI-FRIAR 
DEMONSTRATIONS:  Chappelle's  Promises— "Otis 
and  I" — "Away  With  the  Friars" 359 

LIL  INDEPENDENCE  OR  EXTERMINATION: 
Aglipay  Leads  in  Battle — Women  and  Children  in  the 
Ranks — Mr.  McKinley's  Colonial  Model 365 

LIII.  WONDERFUL  WORDS  AND  SPLENDID  PRE- 
CEDENTS: Gov.  Roosevelt  on  Golden  Rule— President 
McKinley  on  Human  Rights  and  Mr.  Bryan  on  Anglo- 
Saxon  Civilization — Capt.  Leary's  Colonial  Model 369 


10  CONTENTS. 

Chapter. 

LIV.  THE  DECREES  OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TRENT, 
THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE,  AND  OUR  CONSTITU- 
TION ON  THE  RETENTION  OF  THE  SPANISH 
FRIARS:    Articles  8  and  9  of  Treaty  Fatal  to  Peace 376 

LV.  PATRIOTS  WORTHY  OF  ALL  PRAISE:  Miguel 
Malbar's  Message — A  Patriotic  Capitulation — Mabini. ..  .38^ 

LVI.  THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE  AND  PROPERTY 
RIGHTS:  A  Queer  Proposition— Article  8,  a  Blunder  or 
Betrayal — Chappelle  Replies  to  Gen.  Funston — Monastic 
Conspiracy — Funston   on   Titles 385 

L-VII.  OFFICIAL  WARNINGS— PAST  AND  PRES- 
ENT PRECEDENTS:  Words  of  Wildman,  Barrett  and 
Williams — The  Death  Roll — Poem,  ''Drape  Your  Ban- 
ners"— English,  Mexican  and  French  Precedents— Chap- 
pelle to  Report  to  the  Pope— Ireland's  Message  from  the 
Pope  to  America ^Qj 

LVIII.  WHAT  WE  SHOULD  DO:  An  English  Official's 
Advice— Countmg  the  Cost— Washington's  Warning- 
Bishop  Spaulding  on  Our  Mission— Drs.  Henson  and 
Lorimer  on  the  Declaration  of  Independence— Bishop 
Ryan's  Prayer— Lincoln's  Advice  To-day— Poem,  "The 
New  Issue,  The  True  Issue." ^oc 

LIX.  RESULTS  AND  TENDENCIES  OF  OUR  IM- 
PERIALISTIC POLICY:  Mr.  McKinley's  Letter  of  Ac- 
ceptance—Slavery and  Censorship— French  Imperialists  of 
1776  and  American  Imperialists  of  1900— Lincoln  Root 
and  Hay  on  Liberty— Lincoln  versus  McKinley— Words  of 
1  J"Jt7  T^a/^I^t':^'^^^"^  McKinley  Compared-Vio- 
lated  Faith-Mr.  McKinley's  Noble  Words-The  War  not 
?J.'r^  ru^'F^fl^/  ^^ligipus  Liberty-Our  Philippine 
Infamy-Chart  of  Manila's  "curse  of  Civilization.".  .....416 


INTRODUCTION. 


"Truth,  crushed  to  earth,  shall  rise  again— 

The  eternal  years  of  God  are  hers; 
But  Error,  wounded,  writhes  in  pain. 

And  dies  among  his  worshipers." 

— Bryant. 

To  do  our  duty,  for  the  present  and  future  welfare  of 
Spain's  former  possessions,  whose  freedom  from  cen- 
turies of  terrible  tyranny  has  been  consummated  by  our 
intervention,  we  are,  by  honor  bound,  to  do  all  in  our 
power  to  correct  their  continued  discontented  conditions. 
To  correct  these  conditions  we  must  understand  their 
past  and  present  causes.  To  understand  these  causes  we 
must  know  something  of  their  pitiful  past. 

Neither  to  listen  to,  look  at,  nor  ask  your  attention  to 
mere  rumors  from  irresponsible  parties,  we  refer  our 
readers  to  official  records  or  well  authenticated  accounts 
for  confirmation  of  statements  of  facts  as  set  forth  in 
this  volume,  inviting  the  fullest  investigation,  and  court- 
ing the  most  candid  criticism. 

The  pages  of  volumes  and  documents  referred  to,  and 
dates  of  papers  or  periodicals  quoted  from,  are  given  for 
further  reference  and  full  investigation. 

Three  things  are  to  be  borne  in  mind  in  reading  this 
book:  first,  that  it  is  evidence,  and  as  such  contains 
quotations  from  various  witnesses  corroborative  of  the 
same  points  necessitating  repetition  of  statements  of 
facts  to  strengthen  the  testimony  taken  as  to  the  truth. 

Second,  Quotations  to  be  trustworthy  must  be  made 
literally,  and  these  include  both  typographical  and  gram- 
matical errors  taken  word  for  word  from  the  originals, 
for  which  we  should  not  be  blamed. 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

Third,  It  being  impossible  to  reprint  all  reports  or 
articles  referred  to,  in  full,  we  are  obliged  to  quote  only/ 
those  portions  to  the  point,  but  refer  our  readers  care- j 
fully  to  the  originals  where  the  full  statements  are  made,  I 
for  investigation.  Our  purpose  being  to  state  the  truth, ' 
the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  we  adopt  this 
only  practical  plan  possible  for  so  doing. 

The  writer  lays  no  claim  to  infallibility,  and  for  this 
reason  seeks,  rather  than  to  prejudice  public  opinion,  to 
set  the  facts  in  the  case  fairly  before  the  people,  so  they 
may  judge  for  themselves. 


THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


CHAPTER  I. 
DISCOVERY,  CONQUEST  AND  CONTENTIONS. 

Though  the  romance  of  reality  reached  its  climax  on 
the  cross-crowned  hill  of  Calvary,  that  truth  is  stranger 
than  fiction  still,  no  one  can  doubt  who  has  carefully 
studied  the  thrilling  story  of  the  terrible  struggle  for  lib- 
erty in  the  Philippines,  which  is  presented  herein,  as 
briefly  and  pointedly  as  possible. 

That  no  one  may  think  imagination  has  been  over- 
taxed for  facts,  or  fancy  flown  wild  for  fiction,  with 
which  to  fill  this  book,  eye-witnesses  of  the  recent  events 
referred  to  will  be  quoted,  whose  words  we  ask  our  read- 
ers to  consider  in  the  light  of  conscience  and  reason. 

Prof.  Dean  C.  Worcester,  a  member  of  both  the  first 
and  second  Philippine  Commissions,  in  quoting  the  first 
of  these  witnesses  upon  page  343  of  his  book  entitled, 
"The  Philippine  Islands,"  wrote:  'T  ask  my  readers 
to  bear  in  mind  while  weighing  his  testimony,  the  fact 
that  he  is  himself  a  loyal  Catholic," —  referring  to  Mr. 
John  Foreman. 

As  Mr.  Foreman  had  resided  for  years  in  the  PhiHp- 
pines,  and  traveled  throughout  the  islands  both  for  busi- 
ness and  literary  purposes,  he  was  perfectly  familiar  with 
his  subject,  as  an  eye-witness  of  what  he  wrote. 

Being  "himself  a  loyal  Catholic/'  according  to  Prof. 
Worcester,  as  are  a  vast  majority  of  the  Filipinos  proper^ 
his  evidence,  which  was  presented  to  the  Paris  Peace 
Commissioners,  can  be  considered  free  from  Protestant 

13 


14         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

prejudice  and  a  fair  statement  of  facts  and  opinions,  from 
a  Catholic  point  of  view,  at  least. 

Upon  pages  585-6-7  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  part 
2,  of  the  official  records  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Congress,  can 
be  found  portions  of  an  article  written  by  Mr.  John  Fore- 
man, the  foremost  authority  upon  the  Philippines,  dated 
Hamburg,  June,  1898. 

The  following  quotations  are  taken  from  his  evidence, 
word  for  word,  as  found  in  the  official  report  of  the  Paris 
Peace  Commission  presented  to  the  United  States  Sen- 
ate on  January  4,  and  ordered  printed  in  official  records 
on  January  13,  1899: 

"The  history  of  the  Philippines  is  extremely  interest- 
ing; but,  like  that  of  most  Spanish  settlements,  its  pages 
record  far  more  deeds  of  strife,  treachery  and  oppression 
than  of  glory  to  the  rulers,  or  happiness  to  the  ruled. 
Space  will  not  allow  me  to  take  more  than  a  rapid  glance 
at  the  most  striking  incidents. 

"At  the  dawn  of  the  sixteenth  century  the  Pope  had 
been  complacent  enough  to  dispose  of  the  known  and 
unknown  universe.  Taking  Cape  Verde  as  the  starting 
point,  the  Western  Hemisphere  was  given  to  Spain,  and 
the  Eastern  Hemisphere  to  Portugal;  that  is  to  say,  all 
newly  discovered  lands  within  the  limits  defined,  hence- 
forth came  under  the  respective  influences  of  Spain  and 
Portugal,  with  the  papal  blessing,  and  on  condition  that 
the  foremost  consideration  in  the  colonizing  scheme 
should  ever  be  the  sdvation  of  souls.  Every  act  of  the 
pioneers  primarily,  and  of  the  established  colonial  gov- 
ernments which  followed,  was  absolutely  subjected  to 
the  dominant  interests  of  the  church. 

"The  crown  of  Spain  itself  was  nominally  in  the  gift  of 
the  Pope.  Hence,  while  no  expedition  could  sail  with- 
out the  royal  warrant,  the  benediction  of  His  Holiness 
was  that  which  most  charmed  the  warrior,  who,  zealous 
as  he  might  be,  in  the  service  of  his  King,  felt  that  he 
carried  with  him  a  still  more  sacred  mission  from 
Heaven.    No  doubt  every  Castilian  soldier  was  guided 


DISCOVERY,  CONQUEST  AND  CONTENTIONS.     15 

by  those  same  feelings  which  finally  inspired  Ignacio  de 
Loyola  to  hang  up  his  sword  in  the  little  Basque  church 
and  seek  that  'end  which  justifies  the  means.'  The  spirit 
of  the  times,  too,  was  that  of  chivalry,  a  thirst  for  ad- 
venture, a  love  of  conquest  and  domineering  sway,  only 
kept  witL'n  bounds  by  the  superstition  and  fanaticism  of 
the  age.  But  a  more  material  incentive  fired  the  enthu- 
siasm of  the  lower  social  orders.  The  soul-stirring  tales 
brought  back  from  the  newly-discovered  world  beyond 
the  great  Atlantic,  the  sight  of  the  treasures  wrested 
from  the  possession  of  the  infidel  Aztecs  and  Incas,  bore 
an  influence  as  potent  on  the  minds  of  the  masses  as  the 
highest  ideals  of  religious  chivalry  which  inflamed  the 
ambition  of  the  leaders. 

'The  treaty  of  Tordesillas,  which  embodied  the  will 
of  the  Pope  above  referred  to,  had  for  its  real  motive  the 
laudable  and  peaceful  object  of  terminating  the  rivalry 
between  Spain  and  Portugal.  It  only  partially  suc- 
ceeded, however^  for  while  the  Spaniards  and  Portuguese 
agreed  to  navigate  only  in  their  respective  spheres,  even 
the  Pope  himself  was  unable  to  determine  the  line  of 
longitude  dividing  these  spheres  of  influence  at  the  other 
side  of  the  globe.  And  this  is  where  the  point  of  dispute 
arose  which  indirectly  brought  about  the  discovery  of 
that  group  of  islands  since  known  as  the  Philippines. 
Each  nation  claimed  that  the  Moluccas,  or  Spice  Islands, 
fell  within  its  half. 

"Then  there  appeared  on  the  scene  in  the  Portuguese 
court  a  certain  cavalier,  named  Hernando  de  Maghal- 
lenes  (Ferdinand  Magellan),  who,  having  failed  to  secure 
the  attention  of  the  King  to  his  scheme  for  a  voyage  of 
discovery,  offered  his  services  in  the  Spanish  capital. 
Here,  after  many  tedious  delays,  he  was  permitted  to 
approach  the  Spanish  King,  Charles  I,  who,  in  the,  end, 
gave  his  royal  assent  to  the  discovery  of  a  western  route 
to  the  Moluccas.  A  fleet  was  fitted  out,  and  sailed, 
under  the  command  of  Maghallenes.  It  was  in  this 
voyage  that  he  discovered  the  channel  now  known  to  the 
world  as  the  Straits  of  Magellan.  The  Pacific  Ocean 
was  crossed,  the  Ladrone  Islands  were  visited  en  route, 
and  eventually  Maghallenes  found  his  way  to  an  island 


i6         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

v/hich  now  forms  one  of  the  Philippine  Archipelago, 
namely,  Cebu. 

* 'After  a  series  of  negotiations  with  the  native  king, 
he  declared  the  King  of  Spain  to  be  the  suzerain  lord. 
Then  he  went  to  fight  the  battles  of  his  master's  new 
liege,  and  was  unfortunate  enough  to  be  fatally  wounded 
by  an  arrow.  Half  a  century  had  passed  away,  when  in 
1570  a  new  expedition  was  sent  out  from  Mexico  to  an- 
nex the  island  discovered  by  Maghallenes,  and  the 
group  known  to  be  adjacent  from  information  received 
from  the  crews  of  Maghallenes's  fleet.  The  leadership 
was  confided  to  Miguel  de  Legaspi,  who  proceeded  to 
Cebu  Island,  and  after  protracted  efforts  and  arrange- 
ments declared  the  island  to  be  under  the  suzerainty  of 
the  King  of  Castile.  Here  he  founded  a  colony  and  in- 
itiated the  disastrous  policy  of  favoring  the  intermarriage 
of  Spaniards  with  natives,  under  the  mistaken  impression 
that  it  was  the  true  means  of  drawing  closer  the  ties 
with  the  conquered  race.  Then  having  heard  that  there 
was  a  kingdom  of  Maynila  within  a  few  days'  sail,  he 
went  in  search  of  it  and  found  himself  in  Borneo,  in  the 
Sultanate  of  Brunei.  There  he  was  informed  that  trad- 
ers came  down  with  all  sorts  of  fine  goods,  including 
silks  and  other  fabrics,  so,  with  more  or  less  crude  sailing 
directions,  he  broughl  his  ships  up  to  Manila. 

"The  King  of  that  place  peacefully  accepted  the  treaty 
offered,  including  the  suzerainty  of  the  King  of  Spain, 
and  in  1571  Legaspi  proclaimed  Manila  to  be  the  capital 
of  the  Philippines,  in  lieu  of  Cebu,  which  place,  how- 
ever, remained  thenceforth  an  episcopal  city." 

From  the^foregoing  facts  it  is  plainly  seen  how  Spain 
obtained  her  title  to  the  Philippines  from  the  Pope, 
which  we  "purchased"  from  her.  To  show  how  she  pro- 
ceeded to  appropriate  the  islands  for  her  own  purposes, 
we  continue  to  quote  from  Mr.  Foreman,  but  desire,  be- 
fore doing  so,  to  remind  our  readers  that  he  is  a  Roman 
Catholic,  that  they  may  not  feel  the  statements  maue  are 
unfair  to  that  church: 


DISCOVERY,  CONQUEST   AND  CONTENTIONS.     17 

*The  theory  which  soothed  the  consciences  of  the 
first  mihtary  leaders,  was,  that  either  the  soul  must  be 
prepared  for  salvation  in  the  living  man,  or  the  body 
must  be  annihilated.  For  generation  after  generation 
raids  were  repeatedly  made  on  natives  for  the  crime  of 
passive  resistance  to  what  they  could  not  comprehend. 
With  the  cry  of  'Viva  Castila!'  bands  of  Spanish  soldiers 
opened  the  way  with  blood,  for  the  monk  to  enter  into 
the  breach  and  palliate  the  wound  with  silvery  phrases 
to  the  terror-stricken  converts.  The  cry  of  Castila  came 
to  represent  everything  that  was  terrible  beyond  all  hope 
of  mercy,  and  was,  and  is  to  this  day,  used  in  that  same 
sense.  Castila  in  the  north  and  Cachila  in  the  south 
mean  the  same,  and  often  in  the  rural  districts  I  have 
heard  the  cry  of  fright,  'Castila!'  as  a  child  noticed  me 
approaching.  Mothers,  too,  in  my  presence,  have  often 
made  their  children  cease  crying  by  pointing  toward 
me,  and  pronouncing  in  subdued  tone  the  dread  word, 
'Castila!' " 

Thus  it  is  seen  how,  in  the  name  of  humanity  and  civ- 
ilization, and  professedly  in  the  interests  of  Christianity, 
the  first  conquest  of  the  Philippines  was  carried  on  for 
centuries,  till  the  battle  of  Manila  Bay  on  May  I,  1898, 
began,  as  we  believed,  a  new  era  there. 

Mr.  Foreman  continues  as  follows: 

"After  years  of  study  of  the  native  character,  I  have 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Philippine  Islander  is 
very  matter-of-fact."  *  *  *  "He  likes  to  be  as  free 
as.  a  bird,  but  he  is  of  a  pliant  nature  and  easily  man- 
aged with  just  treatment.  He  is  extremely  sensitive  to 
injustice.!  If  he  knows,  in  his  own  mind,  that  he  has 
done  wrong,  he  will  submit  to  a  thrashing  without  any 
thought  of  taking  revenge.  If  he  were  punished  out 
of  mere  caprice,  or  with  palpable  injustice,  he  would 
always  have  a  lurking  desire  to  give  a  quid  pro  quo. 
He  has  an  innate  contempt  for  cowards,  hence  his  dis- 
dain for  Chinese,  but  will  follow  a  brave  leader  any- 
where, and  will  never  be  the  first  to  yield  to  hunger, 
fatigue  or  possible  chances  of  death." 


i8  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Regarding  the  government  imposed  upon  them  by 
Spain  from  the  first,  Mr.  Foreman  states  on  the  follow- 
ing page,  588: 

"For  about  a  century  and  a  half  after  the  foundation 
of  Manila  the  provincial  government  was  handed  over 
to  the  mercy  of  low  class  adventurers.'  A  common  sol- 
dier would  be  rewarded  for  his  services  with  an  encorn- 
ienda,  i.  e.,  a  tract  of  land  over  which,  together  with 
the  natives  settled  thereon,  he  had  almost  absolute  con- 
trol. The  lives  of  the  natives  became  a  perfect  misery. 
Successive  reforms  brought  first  a  functionary  who  was 
at  the  same  time  governor,  judge,  and  licensed  trader. 

"The  abuses  were  so  glaring  that,  after  long  entreaty, 
he  was  superseded  by  a  judge-governor,  and  I  remem- 
ber when,  a  few  years  ago,  these  offices  were  divided. 

"The  commercial  history  of  the  Philippines  would  be 
too  long  to  relate  here  in  extenso;  suffice  it  to  say  that 
it  is  a  series  of  struggles  between  the  colonists,  who 
sought  liberty  to  trade  freely  with  Mexico  and  China, 
and  the  Spanish  King  and  his  councilors,  and  the  trad- 
ing community  in  Spain,  who  determined  to  curtail  that 
freedom  as  much  as  possible.  The  policy  of  the  Span- 
ish merchant  class  was  to  hold  Mexico  as  their  exclusive 
market.  They  opposed  Philippine  traffic  with  China 
because  this  necessitated  silver  dollars,  which  they  knew 
must  come  from  Mexico  surreptitiously,  if  the  islanders 
were  not  openly  permitted  to  give  goods  in  exchange. 

"The  famous  galleons,  which  were  so  frequently  inter- 
cepted and  seized  by  British  privateers  from  the  days  of 
our  Queen  Elizabeth  onward,  formed  the  only  connec- 
tion between  Mexico  (Acapulco)  and  Manila.  The  reg- 
ulations for  shipping  were,  however,  so  restrictive  that 
only  the  favorites  of  the  authorities  ever  secured  a 
chance.  The  arrival  of  the  galleon  in  Manila  Bay  was 
the  event  of  the  season,  or  the  year.  For  the  Europeans 
it  was  a  sort  of  Robinson  Crusoe  life,  with  additional 
possible  dangers. 

"The  ferocious  (at  times  bloody)  contentions  between 
church  and  state  authorities  were  enough  to  obliterate 

all  the  mgral  prestige  which  the  Spaniard  ever  h^4  or 


GOVERNMEKT  AND  COMMERCE.  19 

might  have  had  among  the  natives.  The  galleon  usually 
brought,  together  with  the  Mexican  dollars,  fresh  re- 
strictive royal  decrees  and  a  motley  crowd  of  all  sorts 
and  conditions  of  men;  friars  who  had  to  relate  how 
they  had  saved  the  ship  from  total  wreck  by  an  appeal 
to  the  Virgin;  a  mob  of  notaries  who  had  bought  their 
offices  in  public  auction  in  the  City  of  Mexico;  some  dig* 
nitary  who  was  destined  to  fan  the  flame  of  discord; 
perhaps  a  crowd  of  low  type  fortune-seekers,  and  last, 
but  not  least,  a  mysterious  individual  of  gloomy  aspect, 
whose  mission  none  understood,  but  who  turned  out  to 
be  the  official  'snake  in  the  grass' — a  spy  from  the  holy 
office  of  the  Inquisition — a  social  scourge." 

As  these  are  the  words  of  a  loyal  Catholic,  they  can 
not  be  construed  as  an  attack  upon  that  church,  the 
object  of  this  review  being  the  exact  opposite  of  any 
such  purpose — the  perpetuation  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty,  under  the  free  flag  of  America. 

But  lest  some  one  should  say  or  even  suspect  that 
Mr.  Foreman  is  alone  in  his  position  as  a  Roman  Cath- 
olic layman,  we  will  quote  from  a  book  recently  pub- 
lished in  Boston  by  a  Roman  Catholic  priest,  the 
Reverend  Father  Ambrose  Coleman,  who  writes  regard- 
ing the  second  expedition  sent  out  for  the  conquest  of 
the  Philippines  as  follows: 

*'As  PhiHp  II.  was  inspired  by  religious  zeal,  and  his 
principal  and  perhaps  only  object  was  to  spread  the 
light  of  the  Gospel,  six  Augustinian  friars  accompanied 
the  expedition.  We  may  say  with  truth  that  it  was 
these  missionaries,  and  others  who  followed  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, who  conquered  the  archipelago  for  Spain.  The 
religious  orders  planted  themselves  firmly  in  the  colony, 
and  spread  themselves  everywhere,  winning  the  natives 
to  Christ  and  keeping  them  also  in  loyal  obedience  to 
the  great  European  power  by  whose  means  the  mission- 
aries had  been  sent  to  them.  They  were  thus  the  real 
bulwarks  of  Spanish  power  there,  which  was  kept  up 
rather  by  gentle  persuasion  than  by  force  of  arms," 


20         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

In  regard  to  the  rottenness  of  the  Spanish  regime, 
Rev.  Father  Coleman  writes  as  follows: 

"In  five  years  Governor-General  Manuel  de  Arandia 
amassed  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars;  a  successor. of 
Arandia,  within  the  last  few  years,  is  reported  to  have 
made  $700,000  in  a  single  year,  while  another  is  com- 
monly said  to  have  placed  millions  to  his  credit  during 
a  short  term  of  office.  Men  talk  openly  in  Manila  of 
bribing  judges  to  put  cases  ofif  and  off.  Little  wonder 
then  that,  with  such  a  state  of  rottenness,  bribery,  and 
corruption  obtaining,  the  missionaries  on  the  remote 
stations  have,  in  the  interests  of  the  people,  looked  after 
their  worldly  affairs." 

On  page  589  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  part  2,  Mr. 
Foreman  continues : 

"I  have  so  far  only  alluded  to  the  civil  and  military 
government,  which  is  virtually  nothing  more  than  the 
executive  of  the  ecclesiastical  authority.  The  real  rulers 
of  the  islands  are  the  four  corporations  of  friars — namely, 
the  Austin,  Dominican,  Franciscan  and  Recoleto  orders. 
Their  influence  has  been  predominant  since  the  founda- 
tion of  the  colony.  In  times  gone  by  there  have  been 
most  fierce  contests  between  the  governors  and  the 
monastic  orders,  in  which  the  former  have  almost  in- 
variably been  the  losers.  One  governor-general,  Busta- 
mente,  was  murdered  in  his  palace  at  the  instigation 
of  the  holy  friars,  who  followed  up  his  dead  body,  and 
hooted  as  it  was  being  dragged  through  the  streets  of 
Manila.  They  caused  Governor-General  Solano  to  be 
poisoned.  Only  last  year  a  certain  Father  Piernavieja, 
who  had  committed  two  murders  in  the  provinces  and 
was  still  permitted  to  say  mass,  was  put  to  death  by  the 
rebels.  Any  governor-general  who  displeases  the 
monks  is  recalled.  In  recent  times.  General  Despujols 
had  to  leave  in  1892,  after  eight  months  of  office,  be- 
cause he  ceased  to  be  a  persona  grata  to  the  priests.  A 
native.  Dr.  Rizal,  had  written  and  published  some  facts 
about  the  monastic  orders,  and  Despujols  refused  to 
have  this  man  put  to  death  for  it.    Then,  again,  he  or- 


RIZAL  AND   REFORMS.  2i 

dered  a  search  to  be  made  in  a  convent  of  the  Austrian 
friars,  and  there  found  a  printing  press  and  seditious 
leaflets  being  printed  for  the  priests,  who  intended,  by 
distributing  them,  to  attribute  to  the  natives  an  at- 
tempted revolt.  General  Blanco  (now"  in  Havana)  was 
recalled  at  the  instigation  of  the  friars,  because  he 
proved  to  be  too  humane  for  them  when  the  rebellion 
broke  out.  Finally  they  succeeded  in  having  appointed 
a  governor-general  after  their  own  hearts,  Camilo  Pola- 
vieja,  through  whom  they  had  the  Dr.  Rizal  above 
mentioned  executed  in  Manila  in  January  of  last  year. 
His  widow  was  a  Hong  Kong  American  girl." 


CHAPTER  H. 
RIZAL  AND  REFORMS. 
The  story  of  the  life  and  death  of  Dr.  Rizal,  one  of  the 
foremost  of  Filipino  patriots  and  martyrs,  is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  and  romantic  in  history.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  genius  and  rare  talents,  with  an  unlimited 
love  of  liberty.  Having  had  every  advantage  of  edu- 
cation which  Manila  could  afford,  he  afterward  went  to 
Europe  to  continue  his  studies  and  complete  his  medical 
course,  graduating  in  Spain  and  Germany,  and  becoming 
one  of  the  most  expert  oculists  of  his  time,  with  a  world- 
wide reputation.  His  literary  works  in  the  interests  of 
liberty  were  wonderful  revelations  of  the  rottenness  of 
the  Spanish  regime.  His  fearless  attacks  on  the  friars 
for  their  licentious  life,  corrupt  practices,  and  outrageous 
robberies,  made  them  his  mortal  foes.  Thereafter  they 
followed  him  with  fiercest  hatred  till  they  caused  his 
death,  through  their  usual  treachery.  Governor-Gen- 
eral Despujols,  being  determined  to  see  some  sort  of 
justice  done  to  the  natives,  took  their  part  against  the 
Spanish  priests  and  friars,  being  as  fair  as  he  found  it 
possible  to  be  under  the  circumstances,  and  during  his 


22         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

friendly  rule  Dr.  Rizal  returned  to  his  native  land.  He 
at  once  began  to  champion  the  rights  of  his  people,  and 
to  oppose  the  outrageous  wrongs  perpetrated  upon 
them.  As  "a  loyal  Catholic"  he  charged  the  friars  with 
violating  the  laws  of  that  church  in  holding  incumben- 
cies contrary  to  the  conditions  of  the  Council  of  Trent, 
also  with  robbing  the  people  of  their  lands,  and  holding 
them  without  right  or  title. 

On  page  i8  of  his  book,  'The  Philippine  Islands  and 
Their  People,"  Prof.  Dean  C.  Worcester,  the  American 
Philippine  Commissioner,  states  that  the  most  formida- 
ble rebellion  that  ever  occurred  in  the  Philippines  before 
1896  was  that  of  Cavite  in  1872,  which  was  defeated 
through  a  mistake  rendering  it  absolutely  abortive. 

Mr.  Worcester  states  that  "hostility  to  the  Spanish 
friars  was  at  the  bottom  of  this  uprising." 

He  also  adds:  "A  certain  Dr.  Burgos  had  headed  a 
party  which  demanded  fulfillment  of  the  decisions  of 
the  Council  of  Trent  prohibiting  friars  from  holding 
parishes.  These  provisions  had  never  been  carried  out 
in  the  Philippines,  and  the  various  orders  were  steadily 
growing  more  rich,  powerful,  and  arrogant." 

In  the  report  of  Mr.  Foreman's  oral  evidence  before 
the  Paris  Peace  Commission,  as  found  upon  page  446 
of  Senate  document  No.  (^2,  part  2,  of  the  Fifty-fifth 
Congress,  may  be  found  the  following  statements,  with 
questions  and  answers: 

'The  case  against  the  friars  (the  Spanish  priests)  is 
this,  and  it  showed  itself  in  a  little  outbreak  called  the 
rebellion  of  Cavite,  in  1872:  The  secular  clergy  (mostly 
native  priests) — these  monks  are  the  regular  ordained 
clergy  (or  Spanish  friars) — claimed,  under  the  conditions 
of  the  Council  of  Trent,  that  these  monks,  as  mission- 
aries, were  not  entitled  to  hold  the  incumbencies;  that 
by  a  papal  bull  which  settled  this  matter  when  it  was 


TITLES  TO  LAND.  23 

raised,  these  monks  were  allowed  to  be  only  mission- 
aries, and  could  only  open  and  establish  missions,  but 
that  when  these  missions  became  parishes,  and  when  the 
people  around  them  adopted  the  Catholic  faith,  they 
should  then  retire  from  these  parishes  and  the  incum- 
bency should  be  taken  by  the  secular  clergy. 

"Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  'incumbency'?  A.  The 
position  occupied  by  the  parish  priest — the  incumbency 
of  the  parish. 

"Q.  The  titles  to  lands  are  usually  in  the  hands  of 
these  monks?    A.     Yes,  sir;  they  hold  large  tracts. 

"Q.  How  did  they  get  these  lands?  A.  Usually 
they  simply  took  possession — appropriated  it.  They 
have  in  their  orders  what  are  called  'brothers.'  There 
are  'fathers'  of  the  orders  and  'brothers.'  'Brothers'  are 
simply  persons  who  have  taken  certain  vows,  but  who 
are  not  allowed  to  celebrate  mass — simply  workmen — 
and  they  put  these  in  charge  to  take  possession  of  the 
land. 

"Q.  They  took  possession.  Did  they  have  no  decree 
from  the  Spanish  Government,  or  the  Governor-Gen- 
eral, authorizing  them  to  take  possession  of  the  land? 
A.  Not  at  first.  Subsequently  they  received  decrees, 
but  never  could  they  get  title  deeds,  owing  to  the  op- 
position of  the  natives." 

Referring  to  one  parcel  of  these  lands.  General  Charles 
A.  Whittier,  who  received  the  surrender  of  Manila  from 
the  Spaniards,  and  was  afterward  collector  of  customs  of 
that  port,  made  the  following  statement  in  his  evidence 
before  the  Paris  Peace  Commission,  which  can  be  found 
upon  page  492  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  part  2,  of  the 
official  records  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Congress: 

"There  is  an  enormous  tract  of  land  on  the  Laguna, 
on  the  market,  held  by  the  priests.  They  wish  to  sell  it 
for  $1,700,000.  It  is  an  enormously  productive  coun- 
try." 

On  page  374  of  the  same  official  record  is  a  memoran- 
dum made  by  General  F.  V.  Greene,  of   the    United 


M         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

States  Volunteers,  who  also  participated  in  the  capture 
of  Manila.  His  evidence,  which  was  presented  to  the 
Paris  Peace  Commissioners,  was  entitled,  "A  Memoran- 
dum Concerning  the  Philippine  Islands,"  and  states: 

"These  friars  own  the  greater  pg^rt  of  the  land  and 
have  grown  rich  by  oppressing  the  native  husband- 
man." 

But  to  return  to  Roman  Catholic  testimony,  we  turn 
back  to  pages  446  and  447  of  Senate  document  No.  62, 
part  2,  of  the  records  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Congress,  and 
resume  with  Mr.  Foreman's  oral  examination  as  follows: 

*The  Chairman: 

"Q.  They  (meaning  the  natives)  do  have  title  deeds? 
A.  Yes;  but  it  was  such  a  long,  ponderous  matter  that 
they  have  given  up  the  idea. 

*'Q.    These  titles  were  not  recorded?    A.     No,  sir. 

''Q.  How  did  it  work  or  was  it  operated?  A.  They 
(meaning  the  friars)  let  the  land  out  in  parcels  for  rent, 
called  canons.  The  man  to  whom  they  were  rented 
held  them  generally  for  three  years — that  is,  usually,  I 
think — over  all  these  estates  three  years'  holdings.  No 
guaranty  of  any  kind  passed.  At  the  end  of  the  three 
years  all  improvements  made  by  the  man  in  possession, 
the  tenant,  were  capitalized  by  the  corporation,  and  they 
say  that  they  regard  the  land  is  of  so  much  more  capital 
value,  on  which  they  base  the  rent,  and  require  a  higher 
rental.  So  really  they  steal  the  fruits  of  the  labor  of 
the  tenant,  and  they  charge  a  new  rent  on  the  new  valua- 
tion, and  this  new  valuation  has  come  from  the  work 
of  the  tenant.  The  natives  kick  very  much  at  this;  it 
is  a  very  sore  point  with  them. 

''In  the  Province  of  Laguna,  where  the  Dominican 
corporation  had  their  lands,  they  even  pretended  so  far 
as  to  say  that  cane  mills  and  machinery  for  crushing  the 
cane  should  be  left  on  the  estate  if  you  go  out  at  the 
end  of  your  three  years  and  do  not  renew  your  lease — 
that  you  should  leave  them  the  machinery.  A  very 
great  question  arose,  and  then  there  appeared  a  certain 


TITLES  TO  LAND.  25 

man  called  Dr.  Rizal,  who  was  executed  in  the  first  week 
of  last  November  or  the  week  previous,  and  he  went 
down  to  his  native  town  and  raised  this  question  as  to 
title  straightway  with  the  Dominican  order,  and  he  said: 
'Show  us  your  title  deeds;  it  will  satisfy  me  and  the 
people  around  here,  and  it  will  be  better  for  yourselves, 
because  it  will  restore  peace  and  order,  and  it  will  not 
do  you  any  harm;'  and  they  could  not  show  their  title 
deeds." 

On  pages  462-3  of  the  same  document,  in  Mr.  Fore- 
man's examination,  are  the  following  questions  and 
answers: 

"O.  If  that  exodus  of  the  friars  (speaking  of  their 
possible  expulsion),  these  priests,  was  carried  out,  either 
voluntarily  on  their  part,  or  with  some  degree  of  com- 
pulsion applied  to  them,  what  disposition  would"  be 
made  of  their  holdings  of  land:  what  would  become  of 
the  land?  A.  What  the  natives,  I  think  I  may  say 
pretty  decidedly  would  aspire  to,  would  be  that  the  land 
should  be  declared  to  be  the  possession  of  those  actually 
in  possession  as  tenants  to-day,  holding  it  in  rent  from 
these  corporations.  It  is  let  in  parcels.  They  would 
say,  The  priests  are  gone,  let  us,  as  we  stand,  hold  the 
land;'  and  with  very  little  disturbance  at  all  the  man 
in  possession  holds  his  patch. 

"Q.  They  hold  by  a  title  now?  A.  Only  by  a  con- 
tract with  the  priests. 

''Q.  I  mean  the  monastic  orders  hold  by  a  title. 
A.  No,  sir.  That  is  to  say,  I  draw  my  information 
from  this  source — that  Dr.  Rizal  challenged  the  priests 
to  bring  forward  their  title  deeds.  He  said:  Tf  you 
will  exhibit  your  title  deeds,  it  will  be  satisfactory  for 
you  and  for  us;  I  shall  be  satisfied,  my  agitation  will 
end,  the  people  interested  round  about  will  be  satisfied, 
and  you  certainly  will  insure  to  yourselves  tranquillity 
by  settling  this  matter  on  the  exhibition  of  your  title 
deeds,'  and  they  could  not  do  it.  They  would  go  to  the 
length  of  intriguing  for  three  or  four  years  to  bring- 
about  the  execution  of  this  Dr.  Rizal,  rather  than  show 


26         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

their  title  deeds,  and  we  can  only  surmise  that  the  title 
deeds  did  not  exist. 

"Q.  How  long  have  they  been  flourishing  there  and 
holding  these  titles,  so  called?    A.     I  can  not  say. 

"Q.     It  is  an  old  business?    A.     Yes,  sir;  very  old. 

"Q.  Would  not  the  church  claim  the  land?  A.  It 
would  belong  to  the  order.  For  instance,  the  order  of 
Augustine  Friars  would  be  the  owners  in  collectively 
o{  those  lands  (i.  e.,  the  claimants);  you  would  not  be 
troubled  by  any  individual  claims. 

"Q.  The  church  as  a  corporation?  A.  The  cor- 
poration of  friars. 

"Q.  Would  they  not  claim  to  succeed  to  the  title  by 
the  Bishop?  A«  O,  no;  the  corporation  of  the  friars 
is  quite  distinct. 

"Q.  Suppose  they  go  out?  A.  If  all  the  friars  go, 
they  might  as  well  remove. their  establishment. 

"Q.  The  orders  that  now  claim  the  title  would  still 
claim  to  own  the  lands,  although  their  people  were  not 
there,  would  they  not?     A.     I  should  think  not. 

"Q.  What  would  become  of  the  land  then?  A. 
Confiscate  it  from  the  orders. 

"Q.  On  what  ground?  We  have  no  law  which  will 
allow  us  to  arbitrarily  do  so.  A.  They  have  no  title 
deeds,  and  it  would  not  be  confiscation  exactly. 

*'Q.     They  have  a  possessory  title?     A.     Yes,  sir. 

**Q.  Have  been  in  possession  for  a  hundred  years  or 
so?  A.  Yes,  sir;  but  it  would  be  a  great  anomaly  to 
have  these  native  planters  working  these  different 
patches  of  land  and  have  a  religious  corporation  claim- 
ing the  lands.  I  would  rather  take  the  bull  by  the 
horns  and  say:     'You  clear  out!'" 

As  Mr.  Foreman  is  a  Roman  Catholic,  his  can  not 
be  considered  Protestant  or  sectarian  prejudice.  As  he 
has  lived  long  in  the  Philippines  he  has  become  perfectly 
familiar  with  afifairs  there  and  is  thoroughly  posted. 
His  account  of  the  controversy  between  Dr.  Rizal  and 
the  friars,  and  the  cause  of  his  banishment,  is  of  great 


RIZAL   BANISHED.  27 

interest,  to  be  found  upon  page  449  of  the  same  docu- 
ment, as  follows: 

"This  man,  Dr.  Rizal,  who  went  down  and  raised  the 
point  of  the  deeds,  etc.,  with  the  monks,  had  been  to 
Europe  and  had  studied  in  Germany.  He  was  a  very 
clever  man,  quite  an  exception  to  the  general  rule,  and 
had  published  three  books  against  the  priests — one 
called  'Noli  me  Tangere,'  another  Tilibustero,'  and  an- 
other was  a  reproduction  of  a  book  written  by  a  priest 
years  ago,  who  was  also  an  exception.  For  this  he  was 
looked  down  upon  by  the  priests  as  a  disturbing  ele- 
ment. Ke  came  to  Hongkong,  and  from  there  he  was 
cajoled  to  Manila  on  the  promise  that  he  would  not  be 
molested.  He  went  there  to  the  Governor-General,  but 
they  detained  his  baggage  and  pretended  that  he  carried 
incendiary  leaflets  for  the  purpose  of  raising  a  rebelHon. 

'The  priests  required  that  he  should  be  executed,  but 
the  governor-general  refused  to  allow  it;  said  that  it 
was  utterly  impossible  that  he  should  be  executed  for 
what  he  had  written,  and  refused.  All  they  could  get 
out  of  the  governor  was:  'Very  well,  you  are  banished 
to  the  island  of  Mindanao.*  This  is  the  place  to  which 
he  was  banished,  and  where  he  remained  for  four  years, 
Dapitan.  I  saw  his  little  hut  there  on  the  bay,  and  vis- 
ited him  there.  That  displeased  the  priests  very  much. 
They  had  strife  and  questions  between  them  and  the 
governor-general,  and  the  latter  said:  T  am  going  to 
see  how  you  are  working,'  and,  all  of  a  sudden,  he  had 
a  raid  made  upon  the  residences  of  the  Augustino 
monks  in  a  place  north  of  Manila,  and  had  the  place 
suddenly  seized  and  raided,  and  it  is  very  well  known 
that  he  found  a  printing  press  printing  these  same  in- 
cendiary leaflets,  and  the  priest  who  was  employed  in 
doing  so  was  perfectly  well  known  to  everyone  in  Mail- 
aban." 

Dr.  Rizal's  renown  as  an  oculist  had  reached  the 
Orient,  and  patients  came  to  him  for  treatment  from  far 
and  near,  among  them  a  rich  American  from  Hongkong, 


28         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

accompanied  by  his  foster  daughter,  whose  charms  won 
the  heart  of  young  Rizal. 

The  young  lady  reciprocated  his  affections,  and  when 
the  doctor  returned  to  Manila,  the  father  following  for 
further  treatment,  the  daughter  went  with  them,  remain- 
ing faithful  unto  death,  when  her  betrothed  was  sen- 
tenced to  be  shot  as  a  Masonic  insurrectionist. 

One  writer  states  that  while  he  helped  her  father's 
eyes,  her  beautiful  eyes  were  too  much  for  him,  but 
however  that  may  have  been,  they  were  married  just 
before  he  was  led  forth  to  die,  and  knelt  together  in 
earnest  prayer  on  the  prison  floor,  till  the  fatal  hour  of 
parting  and  death. 

She  then  took  his  place  as  the  heroine  of  the  insur- 
rection, even  leading  the  insurgents  like  a  veritable  Joan 
of  Arc  into  battle.  Tenderly  she  cared  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  and  dying;  and  fearlessly  she  faced  the  Spanish 
soldiers  in  the  field,  inspiring  the  Filipinos  with  her  own 
dauntless  courage.  After  bloody  battles  had  been 
fought,  as  bravely  she  returned  to  Manila  and  faced  the 
officials  there,  and  when  the  governor-general  asked  her 
where  she  had  been  and  what  she  was  doing  there,  she 
astonished  him  by  frankly  telling  him  the  truth.  It  is 
said  that  afterward  she  came  to  America  to  plead  for  the 
Filipinos  in  their  struggle  for  freedom,  and  then  re- 
turned to  them  in  the  troublous  times  that  followed, 
and  that  now  she  is  acting  as  a  teacher  in  Manila,  a 
brave,  true-hearted  American  girl. 

In  connection  with  the  story  of  the  life  and  death  of 
Dr.  Rizal,  we  quote  herewith  an  interesting  account 
from  "The  New  Orient"  of  Manila,  dated  December  2, 
1899,  relating  incidents  in  his  romantic  life,  and  referring 
to  the  touching  scenes  at  his  death. 

The  writer  therein  claims  that  Madam  Rizal  was  of 


RIZAL    PUT    TO    DEATH.  29 

German  origin,  while  Ramon  Reyes  Lala  claims  her 
father  was  an  Irishman,  which  might  be  the  case,  and 
she  still  be  an  American  girl,  as  all  other  accounts  seem 
to  agree,  this  being  true  of  thousands  of  American 
girls. 

He  also  varies  the  story  somewhat  in  regard  to  his 
going  to  Dapitan  ''on  the  advice  of  his  friends,"  and  this 
doubtless  was  true,  too,  but  it  is  supposed  to  be  a  very 
mild  way  of  stating  the  fact  that  he  was  deported  by  the 
orders  of  friendly  officials: 

''A  good  many  still  remember  the  31st  of  December, 
1897,  the  day  on  which  the  man  was  put  to  execution, 
who,  true  to  the  last,  died  a  martyr's  death.  Dr.  Rizal, 
bornofaChinese  father  and  Indian  mother,  received  his 
early  education  at  the  Jesuit  school  in  the  walled  city. 
Showing  signs  of  great  intellect,  the  fathers  advised  him 
to  go  to  Europe  and  enter  a  university  there.  Rizal 
chose  beautiful  Heidelberg  and  soon  became  a  favorite 
with  his  teachers  and  fellow  students.  During  his  stay 
in  Heidelberg  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Emperor 
William  the  First  of  Germany,  who  expressed  his  great 
interest  in  Rizal's  book,  "Noli  me  Tangere."  In  this 
book  Rizal  endeavored  to  give  a  full  description  of  friar 
life,  public  and  private,  and  by  doing  so  made  them  his 
enemies  for  life. 

''It  was  during  this  period  the  writer  made  Rizal's  ac- 
quaintance which  ripened  into  a  strong  friendship,  and 
many  vacations  w^ere  spent  together  at  the  writer's  home 
with  his  family.  Rizal  had  adapted  himself  wonderfully 
to  German  student  life  and  had  quite  a  high  reputation 
as  a  fencer.  With  an  autograph  letter  from  Emperor 
William  I.  to  Governor-General  Terrero,  Rizal  returned 
to  Manila. 

"Although  he  received  a  hearty  welcome  at  the  hands 
of  the  governor-general  and  the  friends  of  his  childhood, 
it  could  not  be  disguised  that  his  life  was  in  danger  as 
long  as  he  remained  in  Manila.  Acting  on  the  advice 
of  his  friends  he  finally  left  Manila  for  the  Island  of 
Dapedan.    The  governor  of  this  island  being  a  great 


30  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

friend  of  his,  his  Hfe  there  was  a  pleasant  one.  It  was 
there  that  good  luck  followed  him,  when  he  won  with 
the  governor  the  first  prize  in  the  Manila  lottery. 

**Soon  afterwards  he  again  returned  to  Manila  in  dis- 
guise and  at  once  took  passage  for  Spain.  In  the  mean- 
time the  friars  had  discovered  his  whereabouts  and  tele- 
graphed for  his  arrest  on  the  charge  of  high  treason; 
and  for  his  immediate  return  to  Manila.  Rizal,  well 
knowing  what  this  order  meant,  tried  to  get  the  present 
emperor's  intervention  with  the  Spanish  government  on 
the  base  of  his  friendship  with  Emperor  William  I.,  but 
did  not  succeed  in  getting  the  assistance  wished  for.  On 
his  arrival  in  Manila  he  was  at  once  imprisoned  and  was 
put  on  trial  for  high  treason  against  the  Spanish  gov- 
ernment. During  the  trial  it  became  evident  that  far 
from  wishing  to  incite  the  Indian  population  to  rebel 
against  Spain,  he^  advised  them  to  remain  faithful  and 
true  to  their  old  benefactors,  but  to  throw  off  the  yoke 
of  the  friars,  whose  oppression  threatened  to  crush  en- 
tirely the  Indian  individuality.  When  the-  friars  found 
their  cause  was  as  good  as  lost,  rumor  has  it,  they  bribed 
the  judge  with  300,000  pesos  to  bring  in  a  conviction 
which  would  mean  a  traitor's  death  for  their  victim.  It 
is  well  known  they  succeeded,  and  on  the  31st  day  of 
December  Rizal's  public  execution  took  place. 

"We  are  sure  most,  if  not  all,  our  readers  have  seen 
pictures,  and  heard  the  details  of  the  sad  scene  on  the 
Luneta,  when  one  of  the  noblest  men  of  the  century 
bravely  met  his  doom,  true  and  faithful  to  the  cause  to 
which  he  had  devoted  his  life;  they  have  also  heard  of 
his  marriage  to  a  German  lady,  which  took  place  in 
prison,  an  hour  before  he  was  led  to  his  death.  Refusing 
the  carriage  offered  him,  he  walked  from  the  prison  to 
the  execution  ground  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  fam- 
ily. To  the  last  he  refused  the  assistance  of  the  friars, 
but  asked  for  the  support  of  two  Jesuit  fathers,  which 
request  was  granted.  When  Rizal  fell  pierced  by  four 
bullets,  the  friars  so  far  forgot  their  "Holy  Calling"  as 
to  shout  their  exultation,  and  joined  with  the  people  in 
their  cries  of  "Viva  Espana"  and  "Viva  Justicia,"  The 
body  was  removed  and  buried  by  his  family* 


INSURRECTIONS  AND  CAUSES.  31 

"So  ended  a  life  whose  history  will  live  for  centuries, 
not  only  in  the  Philippine  Islands,  but  all  over  the 
wo;;ld." 

^Though  Dr.  Rizal  is  revered  as  the  foremost  Filipino 
patriot  and  martyr,  he  was  not  the  first  of  his  fellow 
countrymen  to  suffer  and  die  for  the  cause  of  freedom, 
which  he  with  them  espoused  so  bravely,  for  the  struggle 
did  not  start  with  him.  Never  during  all  the  centuries 
of  Spanish  oppression  had  their  inborn  love  of  liberty 
died  out  of  the  hearts  of  the  Filipinos,  though  it  had 
been  fanned  afresh  into  flames  of  enthusiasm  as  they 
learned  of  the  liberty  enjoyed  by  others.  But  it  was  the 
terrible  oppression  of  the  foreign  Spanish  friars  that 
drove  them  to  desperate  resistance./^ 


CHAPTER  III. 

INSURRECTIONS  AND  CAUSES. 

In  the  Manila  "Freedom"  of  the  4th  of  July,  1899,  we 
find  the  following  account  of  the  insurrection  of  1872, 
which  gives  a  good  insight  into  the  situation  then: 

"In  the  evening  of  January  20, 1872,  the  native  soldiers 
at  Cavite  mutinied  and  massacred  their  officers.  The 
following  day,  however^  the  Spaniards  succeeded  in 
queuing  the  rising.  It  had  been  arranged  that  a  simul- 
taneous outbreak  should  take  place  at  Manila,  but  owing 
to  a  misunderstanding  it  broke  out  prematurely  in  Ca- 
vite. Shortly  after  a  great  number  of  arrests  were  made 
in  Manila,  many  were  tortured,  transported  and  some 
shot  on  the  Luneta,  among  the  latter  being  the  well- 
known  Padre  Burgos,  a  native  priest,  whom  to  this  day 
the  Tagalogs  venerate  as  a  martyr.  This  rising  was  a 
prelude  to  that  of  the  year  1896,  which  was  really  an 
improved  edition  of  it. 

"The  chief  cause  leading  to  both  risings  was  the  des^ 
potiQ  ^nd  tyr^n.tiical  tr^atTOQtit  Qi  tbe„  aaUyQ^  by  tb.Q 


Z2         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

monastic  orders.  Every  protest  on  the  part  of  the  na 
tives  was  suppressed,  whether  it  was  addressed  to  the 
Spanish  Government  in  Manila  or  to  Madrid,  and  the 
complainants  deported.  Time  and  again  the  monks 
succeeded  in  getting  the  land  of  some  native  confiscated 
and  made  over  to  them,  in  such  cases  compelling  the 
lawful  owners  to  work  it  for  them  and  pay  them  what 
they  were  pleased  to  call  tithes.  These  tithes,  however, 
were  quite  arbitrarily  fixed  by  them  and  increased  year 
by  year.  In  the  event  of  the  failure  of  crops  the  natives 
had  to  contribute  them  all  the  same,  and  failing  to  do  so, 
their  buffaloes  and  cattle  were  seized.  Numerous  cases 
occurred  where  native  families  were  driven  from  their 
homesteads  on  which  their  ancestors  had  lived  for  gen* 
erations,  simply  because  it  was  impossible  for  them  to 
pay  the  exorbitant  tithes. 

"But  not  content  with  this,  they  clearly  interfered  also 
with  their  family  relationship.  One  concubine,  each, 
was  not  enough  for  the  monk  of  certain  orders;  not  a 
girl  in  a  native  house,  nor  even  a  married  woman,  was 
safe  from  them.  Each  monk,  in  fact,  lived  in  his  quar- 
ters like  a  despotic  pasha.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that 
the  Filipino  women,  whose  honor  was  thus  attacked  on 
every  hand  by  the  monks,  were  consenting  parties,  or 
that  they  did  not  bitterly  feel  the  deep  wrong  inflicted  on 
them.  The  natives  are  not  lewd.  Many  instances  are 
on  record  of  desperate  acts  committed  by  native  women 
when,  having  been  seduced  by  the  clerical  traitors,  they 
found  themselves  treated  as  outcasts  by  their  own  people. 
One  case  particularly  deserves  mention.  It  is  that  of  a 
native  girl  of  great  beauty,  seventeen  years  of  age,  be- 
longing to  one  of  the  best  and  most  cultured  native  fam- 
ilies. She  was  carried  off  and  violated  by  one  of  the 
friars,  and  was  so  overcome  with  shame  and  despair 
that  she  flung  herself  out  of  an  upper  window,  and  was 
dashed  almost  to  pieces  on  the  rocky  street. 

"All  complaints  of  the  natives  about  misdeeds  of  the 
clergy  remained  without  response,  for  monks  also  had 
their  representatives  in  Manila  and  Madrid,  and  either 
took  good  care  that  the  complaints  were  intercepted,  or 
intimidated  the  high  Spanish  authorities,  so  that  they 


TYRANNY    OF   THE   FRIARS.  33 

were  left  virtually  as  the  rulers  of  the  country,  the  Span- 
ish Government  being  merely  a  puppet  in  their  hands." 

To  substantiate  these  statements  with  what  can  not 
be  claimed  to  be  evidence  of  one  unfriendly  to  the 
Roman  church,  we  quote  again  from  our  Roman  Cath- 
olic authority,  Mr.  John  Foreman,  from  his  statement 
to  the  Paris  Peace  Commission  as  found  in  their  official 
report  upon  page  589  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  part  2: 

"In  1872  there  was  some  discontent  among  the  secular 
native  clergy,  because  the  monks  persisted  in  holding 
the  incumbencies,  notwithstanding  their  own  rules  of 
community  and  the  council  of  Trent  'decree  which  pro- 
hibited it.  The  friars,  therefore,  determined  to  nip  this 
native  ambition  in  the  bud.  They  instigated  a  little  re- 
volt of  the  troops  at  Cavite  and  attributed  the  plot  to 
the  native  clergy.  Four  native  priests  fell  victims  to  the 
intrigue  and  were  publicly  executed.  Then,  following 
up  the  scheme,  native  priests  were  declared  incompetent 
to  hold  incumbencies.  At  the  same  time  several  of  the 
best  families  of  Manila  were  banished  and  despoiled  of 
their  property.  I  am  personally  acquainted  with  two  of 
these  victims;  one  resides  in  Hongkong  and  the  other 
has  for  years  past  had  his  office  near  Leadenhall  Street, 
London." 

In  the  oral  examination  of  Mr.  Foreman,  upon  this 
point,  before  the  Peace  Commissioners,  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing questions  and  answers  on  page  447  of  the  same 
document: 

"Q.  What  do  you  know  of  the  moral  character  of  these 
friars;  how  do  they  conduct  themselves  in  that  respect? 
A.  A  very  large  percentage  of  them  lead  loose  lives. 
They  encroach  upon  the  virtue  of  the  women.  In  the 
towns,  for  that  purpose,  they  get  up  what  they  call  a 
"Cofradia."  They  will  call  a  thing  a  **Cofradia  of  St. 
Paul,"  or  "St.  Joseph,"  and  they  get  women  to  join  and 
these  women  really  become  the  servants  of  the  priests. 
They  do  not,  of  course,  say  that  it  is  that,  but  that  is 


34         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

what  it  really  amounts  to,  and  they  are  called  upon  every 
once  in  a  while  for  a  "Cofradia,"  and  I  knew  a  place  in 
Negros  where  they  taught  the  women  to  consider  it  quite 
an  honor  to  clean  out  the  parish  priest's  house,  and  in 
this  way  they  have  the  women  at  their  call,  and  there  are 
a  great  many,  a  very  great  many  of  the  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  the  priests  throughout  the  islands.  There  is  no 
secrecy  about  this,  they  do  not  tell  it  in  whispers,  and 
the  natives  allow  their  daughters  to  marry  the  sons  of 
these  priests  freely.  They  do  not  seem  to  mind  it  much, 
I  remember  one  notable  case.  I  was  staying  with  a 
friend  of  mine  down  in  Languimance — 

"Q.  In  the  island  of  Luzon?  A.  Yes,  sir.  My  friend's 
name  is  Henry  George  Brown.  He  lives  now  at  Safifron- 
Walden  in  Essex,  England.  I  have  known  him  about 
seventeen  years,  and  I  was  staying  at  his  place,  and  a 
letter  came  from  the  corporation,  saying  that  Father 
So-and-So  is  going  to  pass  through  your  town  on  his 
way  to  Tamina,  due  north  of  this  place,  and  will  you 
please  take  charge  of  his  goods  and  parcels,  and  see  that 
they  are  sent  on  to  Tamana?  I  was  there  at  the  time 
the  small  steamer  came  in,  and  a  drenching  rain  came 
down,  and  simply  drenched  the  things,  and  Brown  said 
that  it  would  be  a  good  act  to  open  these  things  and  dry 
them,  and  so  we  had  the  cases  opened  and  the  things 
spread  out  to  dry,  and  he  called  to  me  and  said:  "J^st 
look  here;  is  this  not  astonishing?"  and  he  showed  me 
some  filthy  prints,  photographic  slides  for  a  sort  of  ka- 
leidoscope arrangement,  slides  and  prints  of  a  most  filthy 
nature.  He  said:  "I  show  you  this  because  it  does  not 
seem  possible  that,  coming  in  the  package  of  a  priest, 
these  things  could  be  possible."  He  said  that  it  was  no 
business  of  ours,  but  that  he  showed  them  to  me  for 
their  moral  effect,  and  I  mentioned  it  in  my  book.  And 
that  is  the  man  who  was  to  take  charge  of  the  souls  of  the 
parish  he  was  appointed  to.  That  man  had  been  turned 
out  of  the  parish  he  had  because  he  was  so  obnoxious; 
he  was  simply  a  human  beast. 

"There  was  another  case.  When  I  first  went  to  Manila 
there  was  quite  a  hubbub  about  a  certain  priest  called 
Pierre,  who  held  a  parish  in  Pampanga  Province,  and 


INJUSTICE.  35 

he  had  beaten  a  boy  to  death,  so  he  was  taken  away  from 
there  and  sent  farther  north  to  a  town  called  San  Miguel 
de  Mayamo.  I  had  occasion  to  go  to  that  town  and  they 
told  me  about  it — it  was  notorious.  A  woman  came  to 
see  him,  and  he  kicked  her  in  the  abdomen  and  she  fell 
down  badly  hurt,  and  died.  This  became  too  notorious, 
and  they  removed  him  from  there.  It  was  talked  about 
freely,  what  a  scandal  it  was,  etc.  That  was  when  I 
arrived,  seventeen  years  ago,  and  they  said:  "Is  it  pos- 
sible we  are  going  to  have  these  priests  free  from  justice, 
and  they  can  do  as  they  like  with  us?" 

On  page  387  of  Senate  document  Np.  62  may  be  found 
the  following  statement  in  the  evidence  presented  to  the 
Paris  Peace  Commissioners  by  M.  Andre,  Belgian  Con- 
sul at  Manila. 

'The  justice  is  Hkewise  mismanaged,  and  when  the 
accused  does  not  bribe  the  judges  they  will  leave  them 
in  jail  for  years  without  paying  the  shghtest  attention  to 
these  unfortunates,  and  some  of  these  prisoners  have 
been  in  jail  more  than  ten  years. 

"The  monks,  more  united,  have  always  taken  advan- 
tage of  the  troubled  state  of  affairs  and  offered  their  pro- 
tection to  those  who  consented  in  allowing  the  money 
of  the  government  to  go  in  their  hands.  They  exacted 
all  the  money  they  could  of  the  Indians,  and  the  Spanish 
governors  protected  openly  these  extortions.  Such  state 
of  things  exasperated  the  Filipinos,  and  those  who  suf- 
fered the  most  began  the  rebellion  with  a  fury  that  as- 
tonished everybody. 

"The  rebellion  broke  out  from  the  lower  classes,  and 
they  still  predominate  in  the  actual  rebelHon.  Even  the 
chiefs  are  ancient  tenants  of  the  monks." 

On  pages  388  and  389  of  this  same  document  is  the 
continuation  of  M.  Andre's  statement,  in  part,  as  fol- 
lows: 

"The  custom  all  over  the  Philippines  is  to  engage 
men  and  to  pay  for  them  their  personal  papers.  This  is 
the  beginning  of  a  debt  that  will  make  a  slave  of  a  man. 


36  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

For  each  dollar  advanced  an  interest  of  five  cents  is 
added.  At  the  slightest  fault  the  man  is  fined  and  his 
debt  grows.  Whenever  he  needs  money  to  baptize  a 
baby  or  bury  a  parent  the  planter  pays  the  fee  direct  to 
the  curate,  and  always  adds  to  the  small  sum  advanced 
two  or  three  dollars  and  the  five  cents  interest.  This 
last  way  is  the  most  heavy  yoke.  At  the  end  of  the  year 
he  owes  his  master  $50  or  $60,  and  as  long  as  he  does 
not  pay  his  debt  he  is  considered  as  a  slave,  and  if  he 
runs  away  he  will  be  arrested  and  returned  to  his  master 
and  is  awfully  lashed.  When  an  estate  is  sold  nearly 
always  the  papers  are  accompanied  with  a  list  of  the 
debtors.  The  buyer  makes  a  bargain  and  buys  the  debts, 
and  those  who  owe  the  money  become  his  slaves.  This 
is  about  the  same  as  buying  the  slaves  with  a  plantation. 

*  *  *  The  Spanish  Government  always  tolerated  this, 
and  even  protected  those  who  used  to  treat  the  men  as 
slaves,  and  allowed  the  pirates  to  abuse  the  poor  Indians. 

*  *  *  Of  course  the  education  given  by  the  monks 
and  Spaniards  is  the  principle  cause." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

OPPRESSIONS  BY  THE  FRIARS. 

To  reinforce  this  evidence  we  refer  to  the  statement 
of  Gen.  Charles  A.  Whittier  again,  as  presented  to  the 
Paris  Peace  Commissioners,  to  be  found  upon  pages  498 
and  499  of  the  same  document,  as  follows : 

"I  went  to  Manila  without  prejudice  against  the  Span- 
iards there,  perhaps  a  little  doubtful,  on  account  of  the 
Maine  massacre,  for  which,  up  to  the  time  of  the  finding 
of  the  court  of  inquiry,  I  had  been  unwilling  to  believe 
that  Spain  was  responsible,  but  testimony  from  all  classes 
of  people,  English  merchants,  the  general  manager  of  the 
railway,  also  the  general  manager  of  the  cable  company 
(both  of  the  last  married  Spanish  women),  a  Frenchman 
and  his  wife,  the  advertisements  in  the  papers,  their  treat- 
ment of  their  dead,  their  actions  in  battle  and  in  civil 
administration,  all  convince  me  that  they  are  without 


OPPRESSIONS  BY  THE  FRIARS.  37 

principle  or  courage,  and  brutally,  wickedly  cruel,  with 
no  improvement  on  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  years 
ago  in  the  days  of  Philip  11.  The  bones  (skulls,  arms, 
legs)  of  their  dead  lie  without  the  honor  of  a  covering 
of  earth,  exposed  in  their  fashionable  cemetery,  ex- 
humed on  account  of  a  failure  by  their  descendants  to 
pay  rent  for  the  tomb.  The  shooting  in  the  Luneta 
(their  favorite  driveway)  of  dozens  of  so-called  'rebels' 
and  conspirators,  notably  Dr.  Rizal,  a  man  of  literary 
merit,  with  no  trial,  vague  charges  of  belonging  to  secret 
societies,  with  the  hope  of  making  their  victims  confess 
to  what,  in  many  cases,  did  not  exist,  was  made  a  fete, 
advertised  in  the  papers  'there  will  be  music,'  and  I 
have  been  frequently  told  that  women  and  children  at- 
tended in  their  carriages.  The  tortures  inflicted  with  the 
same  view  of  eliciting  confessions  are  too  brutal  to  com- 
mit the  narrative  to  paper.         *         *         >!: 

''The  rapacity,  stealing,  and  immoralities  of  the  priests 
are  beyond  question,  and  the  bitterness  of  the  natives 
against  them  has  been  caused  and  aggravated  by  years 
of  iniquity.  To  demand  a  wife  or  daughter  from  a  native 
has  been  a  common  occurrence.  Failing  to  obtain  ac- 
quiescence, the  husband's  or  father's  goods  have  been 
seized,  he  deported  or  thrown  into  jail,  under  an  order 
easily  obtained  from  the  government  in  Manila.  The 
priests'  influence  was  paramount  —  they  are  rich,  and 
fathers  (not  only  of  the  church),  despised  and  hated  by 
the  people" 

To  reinforce  this  evidence  still  further,  we  refer  io  a 
few  more  unimpeachable  testimonies,  to  which  the  atten- 
tion of  all  is  earnestly  directed. 

On  page  734  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  part  2,  of 
the  Records  of  the  55th  Congress,  is  the  memorandum 
already  referred  to  made  by  General  F.  V.  Greene,  late 
of  the  U.  S.  Volunteers  in  the  Philippines,  which  was 
presented  to  the  Paris  Peace  Commissioners  and  em- 
bodied in  their  official  report.    It  is  entitled  a  "Memor- 


38  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

andum  Concerning  the  Philippine  Islands,"  the  second 
paragraph  containing  the  following  statements: 

'The  hatred  between  the  Spanish  and  natives  Is  very 
intense,  and  can  not  be  eradicated.  The  natives  are  all 
Roman  Catholics,  and  devoted  to  the  church,  but  have 
bitter  hatred  for  monastic  orders — Dominican,  Francis- 
can and  Recollets.  They  insist  that  these  be  sent  out  of 
the  country  or  they  will  murder  them.  These  friars  own 
the  greater  part  of  the  land  and  have  grown  rich  by 
oppressing  the  native  husbandmen." 

And  now  that  no  one  may  imagine  for  one  moment 
that  this  evidence  is  inspired  by  Protestant  prejudice  we 
will  turn  to  another  Roman  Catholic  authority  of  a  high 
order  upon  the  Philippine  question,  Mr.  Ramon  Reyes 
Lala.  Being  a  native  Filipino — born  and  bred  in  Manila 
— he  knows  beyond  all  question  whereof  he  writes.  His 
early  education  was  obtained  in  Manila,  and  his  higher 
studies  continued  in  England  and  Switzerland.  As  he 
was  a  friend  of  Governor  General  Moriones,  he  had  free 
access  to  official  records  in  the  Philippines.  He  is  now 
a  naturalized  American  citizen,  and  has  written  in  one 
of  the  best  books  yet  published  upon  his  native  land  as 
follows: 

'The  hierarchy  of  the  colony  consists  of  an  archbishop 
resident  in  Manila,  and  four  bishops.  The  archbishop 
lives  in  a  palace,  and  has  a  salary  of  $12,000  a  year,  while 
the  annual  expense  of  the  cathedral  in  Manila  is  not  less 
than  $60,000.  The  present  hierarchy  costs  the  govern- 
ment $800,000  a  year.  They  (the  priests)  receive  all,  and 
give  nothing. 

"The  several  orders  have  immense  revenues  from  in- 
vestments in  the  island  and  in  Hongkong.  They  possess 
magnificent  estates ;  but,  notwithstanding  their  enormous 
wealth,  they  are  hard  task-masters,  grinding  the  poor  to 
the  paying  of  the  last  penny.  Their  injustice  and  tyranny 
have  of  late  aroused  bitter  complaint,  and  are  a  chief 
cause  of  the  late  insurrection. 


USURPATION   OF  POWER.  39 

"The  friar  is  usually  from  a  lowly  family,  and  is,  there- 
fore, able  at  once  to  enter  into  sympathy  with  the  hum- 
ble life  of  the  people.  He  is  doctor,  architect,  engineer, 
and  adviser;  in  all  things  truly  the  father  of  the  commu- 
nity, the  representative  of  the  white  race  and  of  social 
order.  Such  is  the  ideal  village  curate,  and  many  such 
— good  men  and  true — are  to  be  found.  There  are,  how- 
ever, many  black  sheep  among  them.  And  the  gross 
immorality  of  those  that  should  be  examples  in  virtue 
has  been  a  great  impediment  to  the  work  of  the  church 
among  the  thinking  natives.  There  are,  also,  some 
Chinese  and  native  friars;  but,  owing  to  the  various  in- 
surrections, in  which  some  of  these  were  in  evolved,  they 
are  no  longer  trusted;  in  fact,  a  native  can  no  longer 
become  a  priest. 

"The  archbishops — with  an  exaggerated  idea  of  their 
own  importance — soon  became  exceedingly  troublesome 
to  the  civil  power,  by  reason  of  their  excessive  claims. 
This  was  never  more  manifest  than  in  their  pretended 
immunity  from  all  State  control.  Upon  one  occasion  the 
governor  demanded  of  the  archbishop  to  produce  several 
persons  charged  with  capital  and  other  crimes,  who  had 
found  an  asylum  in  a  convent.  The  archbishop  promptly 
refused,  claiming  the  prerogative  of  sanctuary.  The  ac- 
cused not  only  openly  defied  the  governor,  but  armed 
themselves,  intending  to  resist  should  he  endeavor  to 
apprehend  them.  The  governor,  learning  this,  arrested 
the  archbishop,  and  confined  him  and  the  priests  who 
had  been  his  abettors  in  prison,  charging  them  with  con- 
spiracy against  the  government. 

"The  news  spread  over  the  province  with  incredible 
swiftness,  and  hundreds  of  priests,  collecting  hordes  of 
natives  on  the  way,  marched  with  riotous  demonstrations 
and  violent  clamor  to  the  palace.  Franciscans,  Domini- 
cans, and  Augustinians  forgot  their  fierce  rivalry,  and 
joined  in  the  shout:  'Long  live  the  church!  Long  live 
King  Philip  V.!' 

"The  mob  burst  open  the  doors  of  the  palace,  and,  the 
terror-stricken  guards  having  fled,  they  forced  their  way 
to  the  governor,  who  calmly  awaited  them,  standing  with 
loaded  musket  in  his  hand. 


40         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"He  then  ordered  the  rabble  to  retreat,  but  with  wild 
shrieks,  incited  by  the  priests  that  accompanied  them, 
they  rushed  on  him.  The  governor  pulled  the  trigger, 
but  his  flint  failing  to  strike  fire  he  defended  himself  with 
his  bayonet.  He  was  finally  surrounded;  insulted, 
beaten,  and  stabbed,  he  was  dragged  to  jail.  The  son 
of  the  governor,  running  to  his  father's  aid,  was  severely 
wounded  by  the  rebels.  Attempting,  nevertheless,  to 
cut  his  way  through,  he  was  killed,  and  his  body  horribly 
mutilated. 

"The  mob  then  broke  open  the  door  of  the  fortress 
where  the  archbishop  was  confined  and  liberated  him. 
This  worthy  was  then  escorted  with  much  acclamation 
to  the  palace,  and  assumed  charge  of  the  government, 
which  he  held  for  four  years. 

"The  orders,  presenting  the  united  front  of  a  corpor- 
ation, were  extremely  powerful,  and,  practically,  unas- 
sailable. When  arrayed  against  an  individual  it  always 
resulted  in  his  defeat — that  is,  his  expulsion  or  imprison- 
ment. They  practically  had  their  way  in  all  things  and 
under  all  circumstances.  Nothing  could  withstand  them; 
for  to  attack  one  friar  was  to  attack  his  whole  order. 
Thus  much  injustice  was  occasioned.  I  have  known  a 
highly  respectable  man,  possessed  of  great  wealth, 
cheated  out  of  house  and  home.  Yes,  his  very  liberty — 
through  the  intrigues  of  a  friar  that  desired  to  enrich 
his  order!  Such  societies  are  a  cancer  in  the  body  politic, 
a  constant  enemy  to  good  government,  a  menace  to  jus- 
tice, and  a  foe  to  liberty. 

"In  the  future  history  of  these  islands  this  will  be  one 
of  the  hardest  problems  to  solve.  The  easiest  and  most 
eflfective  plan,  it  seems  to  me,  is  to  cut  the  gordian  knot 
— that  is,  to  expel  the  whole  body  of  friars  from  the 
islands.  By  so  doing,  much  shedding  of  blood  will  be 
saved.  For  I  do  not  believe  that  these  good  brethren 
will  soon  cease  to  foment  insurrection  against  the  hated 
Protestant  conqueror.  They  have  ever  been  breeders  of 
mischief  under  the  congenial  rule  of  Catholic  Spain; 
what  won't  they  do  under  the  regime  of  enlightened 
America,  whose  first  thought  is  the  liberty  that  means 
death  to  extortion  and  oppression,  the  cardinal  principles 


FRIARS  HATED.  41 

of  their  order?  By  this  I  do  not  mean  a  propaganda 
against  the  CathoHc  church ;  for  I  am  a  CathoHc  myself, 
and  firmly  believe  that  this  religion  is  far  better  suited 
to  the  character  of  our  people  than  any  form  of  Protest- 
antism." 

Major  Frank  Bourns,  Chief  Surgeon  of  U.  S.  Volun- 
teers in  Manila  at  the  time,  wrote  a  report  under  date  of 
August  29,  1898,  which  was  presented  to  the  Paris  Peace 
Commission  by  Major-General  Wesley  Merritt,  as  testi- 
mony "entitled  to  a  great  deal  of  credit,"  because  of  his 
ability,  also  as  he  had  formerly  resided  in  the  Philippines 
for  several  years,  and  had  seen  the  situation  for  himself. 

On  page  378  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  part  2,  Rec- 
ords of  55th  Congress,  his  statement  may  be  found  as 
follows : 

"The  only  point  on  which  all  the  natives  and  half- 
castes  I  have  talked  with  agree,  is,  that  they  will  never, 
so  long  as  they  have  arms,  ammunition  or  men,  submit 
again  to  Spanish  authority.  Their  bitterness  against  the 
Spaniards  can  scarcely  be  exaggerated.  This  fact  I  have 
had  abundant  opportunity  to  know. 

"The  feeling  against  the  monastic  orders  is,  as  you 
know,  not  against  the  church  itself,  as  they  are  all  good 
Catholics  and  wish  well  toward  the  Catholic  church. 
The  bitterness  is  directed  against  all  the  members  of  the 
monastic  orders." 

The  evidence  of  these  various  witnesses  as  presented 
we  trust  will  be  sufficient  to  establish  the  point  in  ad- 
vance that  no  attack  is  intended  upon  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic church,  as  it  is  the  earnest  desire  of  the  writer,  herein, 
as  already  stated,  to  defend  and  not  to  defeat  or  infringe 
in  the  least  upon  civil  or  religious  liberty.  Having  been 
born  of  American  parentage  upon  an  Asiatic  mission 
field,  not  far  from  the  Philippines,  he  feels  the  deepest 
sympathy  for  the  native  people,  while  being  at  heart  a 
most  loyal  American.    He  hopes  that  the  facts  reviewed 


42         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

herein  may  reach  the  hearts  of  all  honest  men  and 
women. 

Before  passing  from  this  point  he  enters  his  most  earn- 
est protest  against  any  and  all  attempts  to  propagate 
or  prohibit  the  Gospel  of  the  Prince  of  Peace  among  any 
and  all  people  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  according  to 
mediaeval  methods,  whether  it  be  in  the  interests  of 
Protestant  or  Roman  Catholic  missions,  either  or  both, 
as  the  case  may  be,  which  seems  to  be  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal motives  for  waging  the  present  war  against  the 
native  Filipino  Catholic^. 

Realizing  that  this  assertion  will  be  indignantly  denied 
by  both  Catholic  and  Protestant  propagandists  he  rests 
his  case  with  only  one  quotation  to  illustrate  what  should 
make  us  shudder  with  shame,  from  a  leading  divine  of 
one  of  the  great  Protestant  denominations  in  the  United 
States,  who  has  said: 

"Christ  is  the  solution  for  the  difficulty  regarding 
national  expansion.  There  never  was  a  more  manifest 
providence  than  the  waving  of  Old  Glory  over  the  Phil- 
ippines. The  only  thing  we  can  do  is  to  thrash  the 
natives  until  they  understand  who  we  are.  I  believe 
every  bullet  sent,  every  cannon  shot,  every  flag  waved, 
means  righteousness.  When  we  have  conquered  an- 
archy, then  is  the  time  to  send  the  Christ  there." — Social 
Forum,  No.  I,  page  13. 

Not  so,  said  the  Holy  Nazarene  Himself !  He  said: 
"Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature"  (Mark  16:15),  but  not  at  the  point  of  bloody 
spear  or  bayonet,  for  His  was  the  gospel  of  love  and 
peace  and  heaven,  which  the  angels  heralded  at  His  birth 
when  they  sang:  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on 
earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men"  (Luke  2:14);  not  the 
conquest  of  the  cross  by  blood  and  flame  and  death. 

The  Christ  of  Calvary  never  said.  Go  ye  therefore  and 


MEDIEVAL  METHODS.  43 

''thrash  the  natives  until  they  understand  who  we  are," 
baptizing  them  with  blood  and  fire  and  death,  in  the 
name  of  "humanity,  civilization  and  progress,"  but,  "Go 
ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them' in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."     (Matthew  28:19.) 

"Every  bullet  sent,  every  cannon  shot,  every  flag 
waved"  by  Protestant  conquerors  in  the  present  means 
bitterness,  hatred  and  abhorrence  for  them,  as  past  and 
present  conquests  of  cruelty  have  begotten  the  same 
abomination  for  the  Catholic  friars  and  Spanish  op- 
pressors of  the  past.  It  is  anti-Christian  to  say,  "When 
we  have  conquered  anarchy,  then  is  the  time  to  send 
them  the  Christ."  Christ  came  to  conquer  anarchy^  and 
can! 

Strange  as  it  seems,  however,  that  friends  of  the 
Gospel  of  Peace  should  favor  its  propagation  by  gun- 
powder, bayonets,  and  bloodshed,  it  is  still  stranger  that 
its  professed  friends,  who  claim  to  believe  that  the  foun- 
dation of  their  faith  is  the  Bible,  should  seek  to  suppress 
its  truth,  and  substitute  therefor  superstition.  The  Rev. 
Father  Ambrose  Coleman  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
has  written  of  the  Protestants  in  Cuba,  Porto  Rico  and 
the  Philippines  as  follows: 

"That  these  Bible  scatterers  can  and  will  do  harm  there 
is  no  doubt.  Already  they  have  flooded  Porto  Rico  with 
tracts  and  pamphlets,  crammed  with  the  usual  vile 
charges  against  the  Catholic  church  and  her  ministers. 
It  is  a  shame  and  wonder  to  find  professed  ministers  of 
religion  joining  in  a  cry  with  the  professed  destroyers 
of  religion.  To  counteract  the  baleful  influence  of  the 
Protestant  missionary  and  Bible  societies,  it  will  be 
necessary  for  the  Catholic  church  in  America  to  be  alive 
to  the  new  and  grave  responsibilities  they  throw  upon 
her  by  the  hand  of  Providence,  and  to  send  our  English- 
speaking  priests  at  once  to  the  Philippines,  to  make  up 


44         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

for  the  great  dearth  of  priests  caused  by  the  excesses  of 
the  rebels." 

Since  the  great  Roman  Catholic  church  claims  to  take 
its  teachings  from  the  Bible,  why  should  it  fear  the  in- 
fluences of  its  truth? 

That  the  native  Filipino  Roman  Catholics  are  revolting 
against  the  reign  of  ignorant  superstition  inaugurated  by 
the  friars,  and  sought  to  be  perpetuated  by 
their  friends,  is  evident  from  the  following  words,  by 
one  of  them,  Mr.  Ramon  Reyes  Lala,  whose  avowal  of 
faith  as  a  loyal  Catholic  we  have  already  quoted: 

"The  natives,  however,  are  gradually  breaking  through 
the  net-work  of  superstition  that  centuries  of  priestcraft 
have  woven  round  them.  That  they  are  open  to  con- 
viction— to  the  light  of  reason  and  hope  of  truth,  deeds 
bear  witness.       *       *       * 

"The  enlightening  and  invigorating  effects  incidental 
to  American  occupation  will  immediately  loose  their 
tongues  and  rally  recruits  to  their  new  standard  of 
thought.    Of  this  I  hope  and  expect  great  results." 


CHAPTER  V. 
CATHOLICISM  IN  CHINA. 

But  such  militant  missionaries  have  other  records  in 
the  Orient. 

In  1898  the  Chinese  Government,  yielding  very  reluc- 
tantly under  pressure  from  the  Government  of  France, 
passed  a  law  making  all  Catholic  bishops  politically  equal 
to  Chinese  Viceroys,  and  conferring  political  powers 
upon  all  officials  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  in  China 
according  with  their  rank  in  that  church,  down  to  ordin- 
ary priests,  who  were  given  the  standing  and  power  of 
Chinese  magistrates  or  Mandarins. 

"The  Shanghai  Recorder"  corresponded  with  every 


CATHOLICISM  IN  CHINA.  45 

Protestant  missionary  in  China  who  had  been  on  the  field 
four  years  or  over,  at  that  time,  and  collected  their  opin- 
ions concerning  this  law,  and  they  unanimously  refused 
to  accept  any  political  positions,  offices  or  power  what- 
ever. 

This  law  incensed  the  native  officials  and  the  whole 
Chinese  population  intensely  against  foreign  interfer- 
ence. 

But  the  Chinese  people  have  begun  to  discriminate 
between  the  Protestant  and  Catholic  missionaries,  as  can 
be  seen  from  the  following  quotation  from  an  account  of 
the  escape  of  Rev.  J.  Goforth  and  party  of  the  Canadian 
Mission  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  the  San  Francisco 
Call  of  August  29th,  1900. 

Rev.  Mr.  Goforth  said  therein:  "It  was  truly  a  stormy 
trip,  and  we  had  hand-to-hand  fights  in  which  we  were 
only  saved  by  a  miracle.  The  Chinese  seemed  to  have 
special  hatred  for  the  Catholics,  and  our  declaration  that 
we  were  Protestants  was  all  that  saved  our  lives  on  an 
occasion  when  the  infuriated  Chinese  had  their  drawn 
swords  over  our  heads.  I  fear  that  the  Catholic  mission 
near  us  was  the  scene  of  butchery.  I  know  that  the 
mission  was  looted  and  I  believe  there  were  no  survivors 
of  the  attack." 

'The  San  Francisco  Examiner"  of  the  same  date  con- 
tained the  following  from  Rev.  Mr.  Goforth  in  its  ac- 
count of  this  affair: 

"I  was  compelled  to  get  out  of  the  cart  and  fight  hand- 
to-hand.  There  were  only  three  pistols  in  our  party, 
and  these  were  of  little  service. 

"Just  as  I  alighted  from  the  cart  three  Chinese  swords- 
men rushed  at  me.  The  first  blow  went  through  my  pith 
helmet,  cutting  to  the  bone.  I  was  rendered  unconscious, 
but  quickly  revived.  I  was  struck  across  the  neck  with 
a  heavy,  blunt  instrument  that  gave  me  a  sensation  of 


46         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

decapitation.  In  that  one  fight  I  was  wounded  nine  times 
and  Dr.  Leslie  fourteen  times,  the  other  members  faring 
a  little  better." 

Referring  to  their  retreat  after  this  attack  to  a  near  by 
village  he  remarked: 

"At  the  village  our  temporary  haven,  a  Catholic  mis- 
sion was  under  siege,  and  that  the  villagers  would  not 
suffer  by  housing  us  we  were  ordered  on.  Here  we 
learned  for  the  first  time  the  cause  of  the  sudden  up- 
rising. Couriers  dressed  with  arrows  and  a  burnt  feather 
had  scoured  the  country  a  few  days  before,  proclaiming 
war  against  the  world,  and  ordering  the  massacre  of  all 
foreigners." 

Rev.  Mr.  C.  E.  Bousfield,  of  the  American  Baptist 
Mission  at  Shaohing,  who  has  been  a  missionary  in  China 
for  nineteen  years  and  who  returned  on  the  steamer 
China,  with  his  wife  and  babe,  in  company  with  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Goforth  and  their  four  children,  in  conversation 
with  the  writer  hereof,  fully  confirmed  Mr.  Goforth's 
account. 

He  also  added,  that  not  once  only,  but  repeatedly  the 
only  thing  that  saved  the  Goforth  party  of  eleven  adults 
and  four  small  children  in  their  flight  of  over  six  hundred 
miles,  taking  twenty-three  days  for  their  escape,  was 
their  declaration  that  they  were  not  Romanists. 

To  show  how  friendly  the  mandarins  were  to  them, 
Rev.  Mr.  Bousfield  stated  that  the  mandarins  on  the  hills 
begged  them  to  leave  before  the  outbreak,  when  they 
went  to  their  station  in  the  city,  and  the  magistrate  of  the 
nearest  yamen  took  them  into  his  own  house  when  the 
mob  attacked  their  houses,  and  we  quote  from  his  ac- 
count of  this  occurrence  as  given  in  the  San  Francisco 
Call  of  August  29th,  1900: 

"When  the  Chinese  horde  had  succeeded  in  utterly 
demolishing  the  place,  they  advanced  on  the  magistrate's 


CATHOLICISM  IN  CHINA.  47 

house  and  threatened  to  attack  it  unless  we  were  given 
up.  Nine  of  the  soldiers  who  had  defended  us  so  faith- 
fully were  wounded,  but  they  stood  by  us.  We  finally 
made  up  our  minds  that  if  a  boat  could  be  secured  we 
would  risk  an  attempt  to  reach  the  coast.  .We  so  in- 
formed the  mandarin,  and  he  promised  his  protection. 
He  procured  for  us  a  small  boat,  but  it  was  as  much  as 
our  lives  were  worth  to  attempt  to  reach  it,  as  it  was 
surrounded  by  fully  5,000  Chinese.  We  reached  it,  how- 
ever, a  mile  down  the  river,  the  mandarin  keeping  the 
crowd  at  bay  with  his  soldiers."  Mr.  Bousfield  told  the 
writer  personally  that  the  kindness  of  the  Chinese  offi- 
cials could  not  have  been  exceeded  at  this  time  in  any 
way. 

For  brevity  we  omit  his  story  of  their  flight  and  escape, 
but  quote  again  from  the  San  Francisco  Call  of  August 
29th,  1900,  what  he  stated  therein  regarding  the  care  and 
kindness  of  the  mandarins,  who  not  only  helped  them 
with  their  own  hands  but  risked  their  lives  for  them.  . 

"The  mandarin  was  afraid  to  trust  the  majority  of  his 
soldiers,  and  sent  with  us  as  escort  a  squad  of  picked 
men,  in  command  of  his  brother,  a  nephew  and  a  cousin. 
At  one  landing  place,  Fuyiang,  we  were  surrounded  by 
a  mob  of  5,000  Chinamen,  and  barely  escaped  the  terrible 
torture  which  capture  meant.  We  finally  reached  Shang- 
hai, but  in  a  most  deplorable  state. 

"After  our  arrival  we  learned  that  a  few  days  after  our 
start  for  the  coast,  nine  missionaries  were  massacred  but 
a  two-days'  journey  from  where  we  were  first  troubled. 
My  wife's  health  was  not  of  the  best,  so  we  came  to  San 
Francisco,  and  will  go  to  New  York,  but  both  of  us, 
with  our  little  child,  born  in  China,  will  return  to  the 
mission." 

The  Call  continues  its  account  by  quoting  from  the 
Rev.  D.  S.  Holmes  of  the  same  party  as  follows: 
"Rev.  D.  S.  Holmes  (T.  D.  Holmes  also  of  the  Ameri- 


48  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

can  Baptist  Mission),  who  was  with  Mr.  Bousfield  on  his 
terrible  trip,  speaks  in  the  most  flattering  terms  of  the 
friendship  of  the  Chinese  mandarins.  * 

**  They  did  everything  in  their  power  to  aid  us  in  our 
escape,'  he  said,  'even  giving  us  money,  of  which  we  were 
very  much  in  need.  Ten  of  their  most  trusted  soldiers 
made  the  journey  with  us  to  Shanghai.  Major  Sio,  one 
of  the  officials  of  our  district,  said  it  was  not  necessary 
for  us  to  go  to  Shanghai,  as  he  could  afford  us  ample 
protection,  but  we  chose  to  make  the  trip,  as  we  thought 
the  danger  would  increase,  and  that  we  would  not  again 
have  such  an  opportunity  of  escaping.  Without  their 
assistance  we  would  never  have  been  able  to  leave  the 
country  alive.  So  intent  was  the  mob  on  making  us  its 
victims  that  it  even  threatened  the  homes  of  the  officials, 
and  would  undoubtedly  have  killed  us  all.'  " 

According  to  the  report  of  the  Papal  Legation  at 
Washington  in  July,  1900,  there  were  609,360  Roman 
Catholics  in  China. 

To  show  how  their  work  is  carried  on  there  we  quote 
.from  an  Associated  Press  dispatch,  which  explains  the 
position.  We  can  not  vouch  for  the  facts  stated  therein, 
though : 

[By  The  Associated  Press.] 

"New  York,  June  18.— The  Rev.  C.  Frin  of  the  Catho- 
lic mission  at  Kiang-Nan,  -where  there  is  now  danger 
from  the  Boxers,  has  written  an  account  of  how  the  mem- 
bers of  his  community  meet  all  attacks  of  the  natives. 
He  says: 

"  'But  the  missionaries,  on  their  side,  have  devised  a 
plan  for  protecting  themselves  and  their  Christians,  which 
is  not  the  least  of  their  successes  in  China.  As  soon  as 
the  inhabitants  of  some  village  have  been  converted  the 
fathers,  while  attending  to  the  duties  of  their  apostolic 
ministry,  see  that  the  men  are  thoroughly  drilled  and 
taught  to  watch  the  enemy  and  defend  themselves  in  case 
of  necessity.  *  *  *  *  j\^^^  Jt  happens  that,  when 
the  marauders  fall  upon  a  Christian  village,  they  are 


CATHOLICISM  IN  CHINA.  49 

greeted  by  a  sharp  fire  of  guns  and  cannon  and  are  gen- 
erally beaten  back  with  heavy  losses. 

''  To  get  a  true  idea  of  one  of  our  mission  centers  in 
the  districts  which  the  robber  bands  have  hitherto  terror- 
ized at  pleasure,  picture  to  yourself  every  Christian  vil- 
lage as  a  small  stronghold,  fortified  at  every  point  of  vant- 
age. In  the  center  of  the  village  stands  the  residence  of 
the  commander,  who  is  none  other  than  the  missionary. 
This  residence  is  a  regular  citadel,  surrounded  by  high 
walls  and  flanked  at  its  corners  by  four  towers,  well  forti- 
fied also.  There  are  no  doors.  The  going  in  and  out  is 
effected  by  means  of  ladders,  which  are  each  time  drawn 
back  within.  During  the  day  the  father  attends  to  his 
duties  and  the  Chinese  to  their  work. 

"  'At  nightfall  every  one  is  at  home  again  and  if  danger 
has  been  signaled  they  all  retire  within  the  fort,  sentries 
being  appointed  to  keep  watch  from  the  towers.  At  the 
first  cry  of  alarm  the  men  are  up  in  arms  and  the  father 
directs  the  defense.  If  the  enemy  has  been  reported  in 
larger  numbers  than  usual  the  missionary  has  taken  care 
to  ask  the  mandarin  for  additional  help  and  is,  therefore, 
well  prepared  to  repulse  the  assailants.  As  a  result  of 
these  measures  the  brigands  become,  little  by  little,  dis- 
couraged and  leave  the  Christian  villages  unmolested, 
while  the  missionaries  win  for  themselves  the  love  of  the 
neophytes,  the  confidence  of  the  public  authorities  and 
popularity  among  the  peacefully  incHned  portion  of  the 
people.'  " 

This  is  an  illustration  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
priests  have  brought  upon  themselves  and  their  converts 
the  vengeance  of  the  "Boxers." 

Rev.  James  Medows,  the  oldest  of  the  China  Inland 
Missionaries  in  the  Tsih-Kiang  province  and  in  charge 
of  the  China  Inland  Mission  at  Tai-chow,  informed  Rev. 
M.  Bousfield  of  the  following  facts  as  stated  in  his  own 
words: 

"Rev.  Mr.  Medows  told  me  of  an  instance  in  which  a 
Chinese  mandarin  had  given  a  sentence  displeasing  to 


50  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

a  Roman  Catholic  priest  at  Tai-chow.  The  priest  col- 
lected his  followers,  seized  the  official  and  kept  him  a 
prisoner  until  he  agreed  to  do  as  the  priest  dictated. 

"He  also  told  me  that  many  times  the  Roman  Catholic 
chapels  had  been  destroyed  by  the  populace  while  the 
China  Inland  Mission  chapels  had  been  in  no  way 
molested. 

''On  one  occasion  the  China  Inland  Mission  chapel 
stood  exactly  opposite  to  the  Roman  Catholic  chapel, 
which  was  destroyed. 

"He  also  told  me  of  an  instance  wherein  the  Roman 
Catholic  priests  had  extorted  $2,000  Mexican  from  a 
mandarin  who  had  interposed  between  them  and  a  pre- 
tended convert  of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  who  was  a 
woman  in  the  case." 

These  instances  show  how  wherever  they  go  under  the 
garb  of  religion  these  men  plot  for  political  power  and 
plunder,  not  only  disgracing  the  cause  of  Christ,  but 
destroying  the  peace  of  the  country  by  their  inevitable 
rule  or  ruin  policy. 

Rev.  William  Ashmore,  D.  D.,  a  resident  missionary 
of  China  from  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union 
for  over  half  a  century,  says  in  the  Standard  of  Chicago 
for  September  i,  1900: 

*The  Romanists  claim  to  have  1,000,000  converts. 
Their  communities  are  scattered  all  over  China.  They 
are  both  feared  and  hated.  The  mandarins  are  contin- 
ually in  awe  of  them.  They  resist,  and  rightfully,  this 
interference  with  their  prerogative,  and  this  encroach- 
ment on  their  civil  administration.  And  so  all  over  China 
under  French  protection  Romanist  priests  and  their  con- 
verts and  their  proteges  have  been  getting  together  the 
elements  of  a  storm.  The  storm  has  come  and  has  broken 
upon  them  with  fury.  *  *  *  it  is  not  the  Roman- 
ist creed  which  has  kindled  this  conflagration,  but  Ro- 
manist usurpations,  Romanist  secularism,  and  Romanist 
abuses  of  power  under  French  patronage.  The  Chinese 
did  also  bitterly  object  to  the  demand  for  Lko  Tung 


CATHOLICISM  IN  CHINA.  51 

peninsula  as  a  compensation  for  the  lives  of  the  priests. 
They  said  the  fine  was  exorbitantly  excessive." 

But  this  is  an  illustration  of  the  effects  of  Rome's 
political,  so-called,  religious  conquests,  the  world  over 
from  first  to  last.  But,  as  to  place  all  the  blame  upon 
these  political  religionists  would  be  as  unfair  as  to  say 
they  had  nothing  to  do  with  these  troubles,  we  quote  the 
following  from  a  returned  missionary,  who  tells  the  truth 
of  the  situation  clearly  and  concisely: 

"The  present  war  in  China  is  not  anti-missionary,  but 
anti-foreign.  The  Chinese  do  not  hate  the  missionaries 
as  such,  but  hate  them  as  foreigners.  Nor  do  they  hate 
the  foreigners  as  foreigners,  but  as  land-grabbers.  Rus- 
sia, Germany,  France  and  England  are  responsible  for  the 
outbreak.  If  those  nationalities,  looking  on  the  domain  of 
the  United  States  in  the  hour  of  our  weakness  should  say, 
one  after  the  other:  "Boston  is  a  good-looking  city.  I'll 
take  Boston,  if  you  please;"  "Charleston  has  a  fair  har- 
bor, I'll  appropriate  Charleston,  if  you  have  no  objec- 
tion;" "the  Mississippi  valley  is  quite  productive,  I'll 
accept  that  as  my  'sphere  of  influence.'  "  If  these  nation- 
alities should  thus  speak  it  would  not  be  long  before  there 
would  be  some  "Boxers"  in  America,  and  the  scenes  of 
the  Stamp  Act  and  other  atrocities  of  freedom  witnessed 
in  1775  would  be  reenacted. 

**The  United  States  has  no  land  to  grab,  and  through 
the  "open  door"  will  prove  to  be  the  protector  of  China 
and  her  best  friend.  History  is  making  fast  in  the  orient. 
Civilization  is  sweeping  in.  Idolatry  is  doomed.  China 
in  fifty  years  will  be  one  of  the  world  powers,  and  a  large 
one.  It  has  passed  through  scores  of  revolutions, 
through  thousands  of  years.  This  uprising  will  prove  to 
be  local  and  not  national,  temporary  and  not  permanent. 
The  end  will  be  the  modernizing  and  strengthening  of  a 
great  empire — not  its  disintegration.  Louis  A.  Gould. 
Formerly  missionary  in  China. 
Shelby ville,  Ind.,  June  26  (1900)." 

We  believe  the  foregoing  to  be  a  fair  statement  0!  the 


52         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

facts  in  the  case,  and  would  close  upon  this  point  with 
the  reminder  that  the  present  is  not  the  first  attempted 
extermination  which  the  intrigues  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
missionaries  have  brought  upon  themselves  in  China  and 
elsewhere. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
FREEMASONRY   AND   FREEDOM. 

On  page  588  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  part  2,  of 
the  Records  of  the  55th  Congress,  we  find  in  the  written 
evidence  of  Mr.  John  Foreman,  as  presented  to  the  Paris 
Peace  Commissioners,  the  following  historical  statement: 

"From  the  foundation  of  Manila  in  1571  up  to  the 
year  1819  the  colony  of  the  Philippine  Islands  was  a  de- 
pendency of  Mexico.  During  that  long  period  there  was 
absolutely  no  direct  intercourse  between  the  mother 
country  and  her  far  eastern  colony.  Everybody  and 
everything  destined  for  the  Philippines  passed  through 
Mexico  until  that  American  colony  threw  off  the  Spanish 
yoke." 

From  this  fact  it  must  be  readily  realized  that  the  civili- 
zation of  Mexico  and  of  the  Philippines  must  be  much 
the  same,  for  as  the  Spanish  political  religious  system 
spread  from  Mexico  throughout  North  and  South  Amer- 
ica, so  it  crossed  the  Pacific  and  took  possession  of  the 
Philippines  as  it  had  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  captured 
Cuba  and  the  Antilles.  The  self-same  religious  orders 
which  had  overrun  and  overruled  all  else  in  the  Spanish- 
American  possessions,  until  the  Roman  Catholic  natives, 
driven  to  desperation  by  their  outrageous  tyranny,  re- 
belled against  their  oppression,  tyrannized  in  turn  over 
the  native  Filipino  Roman  Catholics  until  they,  like  their 
Roman  Catholic  brethren  in  Mexico,  that  most  Catholic 
country  of  all  the  Americas,  arose  in  revolt  against 
them. 


FREEMASONRY   AND    FREEDOM.  53 

As  the  Masonic  order  in  Mexico  and  the  other  Span- 
ish-American colonies  or  possessions  formed  the  nucleus 
of  the  reformers  seeking  for  freedom  from  monastic  rob- 
bery and  outrage,  so  in  the  Philippines  the  struggle  for 
civil  and  religious  liberty  was  led  by  representatives  or 
members  of  the  Masonic  order  there,  and  affiliated  so- 
cieties. 

A  reference  to  the  official  records  of  the  Spanish  Cortes 
can  confirm  this  statement  of  fact  as  is  to  be  seen  from 
the  following: 

(Copyright,  1899,  ^y  The  Chicago  Record.) 

"Madrid,  June  9. — The  Cortes  has  just  been  called  upon 
to  pass  upon  the  question  of  seating  Republican  Deputy 
Moraita,  accused  of  having  fomented  the  insurrection  of 
the  Philippine  natives  against  Spain.  The  deputy's  an- 
swer was  simply  that  he  had  founded  Masonic  lodges  in 
the  islands  in  order  to  combat  the  monks.  Thereupon 
the  clerical  majority  in  the  Cortes  promptly  refused  to 
admit  Moraita  to  the  seat  to  which  he  was  elected." 

As  the  President  of  the  Republic  of  Mexico  is  the 
supreme  head  of  the  Masonic  order  in  Mexico,  so  were 
the  leaders  of  the  reformers  in  the  Philippines — Free 
Masons — foremost  among  them  being  the  renowned 
Dr.  Rizal,  hero,  patriot,  and  martyr,  who  pleaded  most 
bravely  for  his  people  till  he  fell  a  victim  to  the  fury  and 
treachery  of  the  friars. 

For  confirmation  of  this  statement  of  fact  we  will  turn 
again  to  Roman  Catholic  authority,  to  avoid  any  possible 
suspicion  of  Protestant  prejudice,  and  lest  we  be  accused 
of  Masonic  connections,  we  state  that  the  writer  is  not 
a  Mason,  neither  is  he  beholden  to  that  order  in  any  way, 
nor  is  that  order  responsible  for  this  review  in  the  least. 

From  an  article  in  The  CathoHc  World  of  August, 
1898,  entitled,  "A  Sketch  of  Catholicity  in  the  Philip- 
pines," by  Charleson  Shane,  we  quote  the  following: 


54  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

''Unfortunately,  in  the  Philippines,  as  in  Cuba,  and  in 
former  Spanish  colonies,  the  Catholic  religion  has  suf- 
fered the  disadvantage  of  being  identified  with  a  ruling 
dominant  class,  hostile  to  popular  independence  and  of 
no  startling  excellence  as  to  morality.-  In  natural  con- 
sequence the  propaganda  of  advanced  ideas  has  experi- 
N  enced  steady  and  furtive  growth  among  the  more  intelli- 
gent, active,  and  influential  of  the  natives  under  the  aegis 
of  free  thought  and  Masonic  societies. 

*'In  1896  a  report  of  the  civil  governor  of  Manila  men- 
tions eighty-two  established  lodges,  twenty-four  of  them 
being  in  the  province  of  Manila.  The  membership  of  the 
secret  societies  ran  as  high  in  numbers  as  the  whole 
standing  army  of  the  United  States,  and  it  was  through 
their  efforts  that  the  insurrection  was  initiated  and  car- 
ried on." 

It  is  evident  that  the  writer  refers  to  Free  Masons  and 
the  Katipunans  in  this  connection,  and  in  this  statement 
he  is  sustained  by  the  official  report  of  the  first  Philippine 
Commission  which  contains  the  following  clause: 

*'A  powerful  adjunct  to  the  revolutionary  movements 
was  the  Katipunan  Society.  This  order  was  patterned 
on  the  Masonic  order.  It  was  a  secret  society  and  had 
about  400,000  members,  who  were  in  the  main  residents 
of  the  Tagalog  provinces  and  of  the  valley  of  the  Pasig 
River.  In  Manila  and  this  valley  there  were  80,000 
members." 

Senator  Hoar  in  his  speech  of  April  17,  1900^  before 
the  United  States  Senate,  said  of  this: 

'T  have  heard  somewhere  that  there  was  a  similar  pros- 
perous organization  in  the  United  States  in  the  early 
days,  and  that  a  commander-in-chief  named  George 
Washington  clothed  himself  with  its  insignia  and,  I 
believe,  laid  the  corner  stone  of  a  capitol  somewhere. 
(The  capitol  at  Washington.) 

'T  do  not  profess  to  know  very  much  about  that  mighty 
order  of  which  so  many  of  the  greatest  men  in  America 
and  throughout  the  world  have  been  members,  in  high 


PROMISES   OF   INDEPENDENCE.  55 

authority  and  in  fullest  communion,  including  some 
Presidents  of  the  United  States,  (President  McKinley 
himself)  but  it  strikes  me  that  if  in  the  city  of  Manila 
itself,  in  the  single  city,  the  only  spot,  where  these  hos- 
tilities begun,  with  one  or  two  trifling  exceptions,  held  by 
the  power  of  the  United  States,  there  was  an  order  of 
this  character,  with  80,000  members,  devoted  to  independ- 
ence, it  is  pretty  good  evidence  that  the  best  citizenship, 
after  all,  is  on  the  side  of  the  people.  Do  you  not  think 
it  likely  that  the  love  of  liberty  and  the  love  of  independ- 
ence burns  brighter  in  the  human  soul  in  proportion  as 
the  man  is  better?" 

The  Outlook  for  June  16,  1900,  states  that: 

"A  petition  to  Congress  from  the  Katipunan  secret 
society  has  been  published.  It  claims  a  membership  of 
4,000,000,  and  asserts  that  since  1892  national  independ- 
ence has  been  its  sole  aim.  It  urges  that  annexation  is 
incompatible  with  lasting  peace,  and  insists  upon  ulti- 
mate independence,  with  an  immediate  American  protec- 
torate like  that  of  Cuba,  as  the  only  acceptable  plan." 

That  our  readers  may  judge  for  themselves  just  what 
justification  the  Filipinos  have  for  making  these  de- 
mands, we  will  quote  word  for  word  from  official  records 
what  our  American  Admiral,  Consuls,  and  Generals  in 
command  say,  they  have  written  and  said  to  them  upon 
this  subject. 

CHAPTER  VII. 
PROMISES    OF   INDEPENDENCE. 
Admiral  Dewey  wrote  in  his  dispatch  to  the  authorities 
at  Washington,  June  27,  1898: 

"Aguinaldo  has  gone  to  attend  a  meeting  of  insurgent 
leaders,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  civil  government." 

Then  he  added  as  his  approval  and  endorsement,  as 
well  as  sanction  of  Aguinaldo's  effort  to  form  "a  civil 
government:" 


56         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"In  my  opinion,  these  people  are  far  superior  in  their 
intelligence  and  more  capable  of  self-government  than 
the  natives  of  Cuba." 

And  on  August  29,  1898,  he  wrote  from  Manila  a  let- 
ter intended  for  and  presented  to  the  Paris  Peace  Com- 
missioners as  evidence,  to  be  found  upon  pages  383  and 
384  of  Senate  document  62  of  the  55th  Congress,  reiter- 
ating this  statement  and  emphasizing  it  in  these  words: 
"Further  intercourse  with  them  has  confirmed  me  in  this 
opinion." 

On  page  357  of  the  same  document  is  a  letter  from  the 
Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  Day  to  Mr.  Pratt,  Consul-Gen- 
eral  at  Singapore  saying: 

"The  address  presented  by  the  25  or  30  Filipinos  who 
gathered  about  the  consulate  discloses  an  understanding 
on  their  part  that  the  object  of  Admiral  Dewey  was  to 
support  the  cause  of  General  Aguinaldo,  and  that  the 
ultimate  object  of  our  action  is  to  secure  the  independ- 
ence of  the  Philippines  under  the  protection  of  the 
United  States;  your  address  does  not  repel  this  implica- 
tion." 

Upon  page  353  of  this  same  document  is  the  address  of 
which  Mr.  Day  complains  as  a  commitment  of  our  coun- 
try by  our  Consul-General. 

The  exact  words  of  the  Filipinos'  address  to  which  he 
replied  were  these,  to  be  seen  upon  pages  352  and  353  of 
this  same  document: 

"Our  countrymen  at  home,  and  those  of  us  residing 
here,  *  *  *  hope  that  the  United  States,  your  na- 
tion, persevering  in  its  humane  policy,  will  efficaciously 
second  the  programme  arranged  between  you,  Sir,  and 
General  Aguinaldo  in  this  port  of  Singapore  and  secure 
to  us  our  independence  under  the  protection  of  the 
United  States." 

Consul-General  Pratt  replied  in  part  thus : 

"Rest  assured     *     *     *     that  your  words,  which  have 


PROMISES   OF   INDEPENDENCE.  57 

sunk  deep  in  my  heart,  shall  be  faithfully  repeated  to  the 
President,  to  Admiral  Dewey,  and  to  the  American  peo- 
ple, from  whom,  I  am  sure,  they  will  meet  with  full  and 
gen-erous  response.  *  >h  *  J  ^an  only  hope  that  the 
eventual  outcome  will  be  all  that  can  be  desired  for  the 
happiness  and  well-fare  of  the  Filipinos." 

Upon  pages  338,  339  and  340  of  this  same  document 
is  a  letter  from  Consul-General  Wildman  of  Hongkong 
to  Mr.  Moore  of  the  State  Department  in  which  he  refers 
to  a  letter  that  he  wrote  to  Aguinaldo  on  July  25,  1898, 
in  part  as  follows: 

"Do  not  forget  that  the  United  States  undertook  this 
war  for  the  sole  purpose  of  relieving  the  Cubans  from  the 
cruelties  under  which  they  were  suffering,  and  not  for  the 
love  of  conquest  or  the  hope  of  gain.  They  are  actuated 
by  precisely  the  same  feelings  toward  the  Filipinos. 
Whatever  the  final  disposition  of  the  conquered  territory 
may  be  you  can  trust  to  the  United  States  that  justice 
and  honor  will  control  all  their  dealings  with  you." 

All  of  the  foregoing  letters  were  presented  in  the  evi- 
dence produced  before  the  Paris  Peace  Commissioners  in 
Paris. 

Gen.  Thomas  M.  Anderson,  the  commander  of  the  first 
American  army  in  the  Philippines,  said  in  his  article  in 
the  North  American  Review  for  February,  1900: 

"Whether  Admiral  Dewey,  Consuls  Pratt,  Wildman, 
and  Williams  did  or  did  not  give  Aguinaldo  assurances 
that  the  Philippine  government  would  be  recognized,  the 
Filipinos  certainly  thought  so,  probably  inferring  this 
from  their  acts,  rather  than  their  statements." 

In  the  Chicago  Record  of  February  24,  1900,  General 
Anderson  said: 

"Every  American  citizen  who  came  in  contact  with 
Filipinos  at  the  inception  of  the  Spanish  war,  or  at  any 
time  within  a  few  months  after  hostilities  began,  pro- 
bably told  those  he  may  have  talked  with  on  the  subject 


58         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

that  we  intended  to  free  them  from  Spanish  oppression. 
The  general  expression  was:  'We  intend  to  whip  the 
Spaniards  and  set  you  free.'  It  must  be  remembered 
that,  two  years  before,  Aguinaldo  had  been  the  leader  in 
a  rebellion,  the  object  of  which  was  to  set  up  an  independ- 
ent Fihpino  government." 

In  regard  to  Aguinaldo's  declaration  that  Admiral 
Dewey  told  him  that  "We  were  honorable,  and  having 
plenty  of  land,  desired  no  colonies,"  the  General  adds: 
"1  must  plead  guilty  to  this  Delphic  utterance  at  a  subse- 
quent period/' 

He  says  also:  "Even  if  Dewey  and  the  consuls  had  no 
right  to  pledge  the  government,  if  they  did  so  even  with- 
out authority,  it  gives  the  insurgent  leaders  a  certain 
equitable  claim  to  consideration." 

General  Anderson  states  in  the  North  American  Re- 
view of  February,  1900,  page  277: 

"A  few  days  thereafter  he  made  an  official  call  on  me 
and  *  *  *  asked  if  we,  the  North  Americans,  as  he 
called  us,  intended  to  hold  the  Philippines  as  dependen- 
cies. I  said  I  could  not  answer  that,  but  that  in  one  hun- 
dred years  we  had  established  no  colonies.  He  then 
made  this  remarkable  statement:  *I  have  studied  atten- 
tively the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  and  I  find 
in  it  no  authority  for  colonies,  and  I  have  no  fear.'  " 

As  our  Declaration  of  Independence  is  a  declaration 
of  principles,  declaring  that:  "Governments  are  insti- 
tuted among  men,  deriving  their  just  powers  from  the 
consent  of  the  governed,"  as  our  declaration  to  the  world 
when  we  went  to  war  with  Spain  disclaimed  any  and  all 
intent  of  any  territorial  conquest,  and  as  "actions  speak 
louder  than  words,"  and  during  all  our  history  we  had 
stood  as  the  avowed  champions  of  human  liberty,  did  not 
our  constitution,  our  declaration,  and  our  deeds,  justify 
the  Filipinos  in  expecting  just  what  we  had  promised 
Cuba? 


PROMISES    OF   INDEPENDENCE.  59 

If  it  was  just  for  us  to  promise  it  to  Cuba,  was  it  not 
unjust  for  us  not  to  promise  it  to  the  Philippines,  under 
precisely  the  same  cicumstances? 

Consul  Williams  wrote  from  Manila  February  22, 
1898:  ''Conditions  here  and  in  Cuba  are  practically 
alike;"  and  again  he  wrote  from  Manila  on  March  27, 
1898,  "Cuban  conditions  exist  here  possibly  in  aggra- 
vated form."  Pages  319  and  321,  Senate  document 
number  62  part  2. 

On  pages  6,  7,  8  and  9  of  Gen.  E.  S.  Otis'  official  report 
of  August  31,  1899,  in  a  letter  to  Aguinaldo^  dated  Man- 
ila, P.  L,  September  8,  1899,  he  wrote  regarding  the  war 
with  Spain:  'It  was  undertaken  by  the  United  States 
for  humanity's  sake,  and  not  for  its  aggrandizement  or 
for  any  national  profit  it  expected  to  receive,  and  it  has 
expended  millions  of  treasure  and  hundreds  of  the  lives 
of  its  citizens  in  the  interests  of  the  Spanish  suffering 
colonists." 

Upon  pages  83  and  84  of  Gen.  E.  S.  Otis'  official  re- 
port of  August  31,  1899,  he  gives  his  proclamation  of 
January  4,  1899,  i^  which  he  says: 

"The  President  concludes  his  instructions  in  the  fol- 
lowing language:  'Finally,  it  should  be  the  earnest  and 
paramount  aim  of  the  administration  to  win  the  confi- 
dence, respect,  and  affection  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Philippines,  by  insuring  to  them  in  every  possible  way 
the  full  measure  of  individual  rights  and  liberty  which  is 
the  heritage  of  a  free  people." 

General  Otis  continued  on  his  own  account:  "I  am  also 
convinced  that  it  is  the  intention  of  the  United  States 
government  to  seek  the  establishment  of  a  most  liberal 
government  for  the  islands  *  *  *  which  shall  be 
susceptible  of  development  *  *  *  into  a  govern- 
ment as  free  and  independent  as  is  enjoyed  by  the  most 
favored  provinces  of  the  world." 


6o  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

These  words  positively  imply,  if  they  do  not  explicitly 
promise  exactly  what  the,  Katipunans  petition  for — ■ 
''Ultimate  independence,  with  an  immediate  American 
protectorate  like  that  of  Cuba."  If  the  men  who  wrote 
or  spoke  them  meant  anything  else,  then  they  certainly 
would  seem  to  have  been  trying  to  deceive  the  Filipino 
leaders  and  people  for  purposes  of  their  own,  and  the 
American  people  should  repudiate  their  perfidy,  in  the 
only  way  possible,  by  fulfilling  these  pledges  given  in 
their  name  by  the  government,  as  promptly  and  faith- 
fully as  possible. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
FITNESS    FOR   SELF-GOVERNMENT. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  imagine,  as  doubt- 
less many  do,  from  the  innumerable  falsehoods  published 
broadcast  to  deceive  and  mislead  people,  that  the  Fili- 
pinos are  not  fit  for  the  self-government  they  have  sought 
for  and  fought  for  so  valiantly,  we  quote  the  sayings  and 
writings  of  men  who  knew  of  what  they  were  saying  and 
writing  about  by  actual  acquaintance,  intercourse  and 
experience  with  them. 

U.  S.  Consul-General  Wildman,  who  was  one  of  our 
first  officials  to  meet  the  Filipino  leaders,  wrote  Secretary 
of  State  Day  as  follows:  (See  Senate  Doc.  No.  62, 
part  2,  page  336.) 

"I  consider  the  forty  or  fifty  leaders,  with  whose  for- 
tunes I  have  been  very  closely  connected,  both  the  super- 
iors of  the  Malays  and  the  Cubans.  Aguinaldo,  Agon- 
cillo,  and  Sandico  are  all  men  who  would  be  leaders  in 
any  country." 

Gen.  T.  M.  Anderson,  the  first  commander  of  Amer- 
ican troops  in  the  Philippines,  wrote  thus: 
"As  to  the  Filipinos  themselves,  I  understand  many 


GENERAL  KING'S  TESTIMONY.  6i 

erroneous  impressions  are  current.  I  was  in  the  Philip- 
pines until  the  latter  part  of  March,  having  been  sent 
there  in  June,  1898,  in  command  of  the  first  military  ex- 
pedition, and  during  that  time  I  had  some  chance  for 
studying  the  Filipino  character  and  mind.  I  regard  the 
Filipinos,  such  as  have  been  carrying  on  operations 
against  our  forces  in  the  island  of  Luzon,  as  being  not 
far  below  the  Japanese  in  intelligence  and  capability  of 
culture.  Nearly  all  can  read  and  write;  they  have  many 
schools,  and  there  are  a  number  of  newspapers.  Their 
cities  are  populous  and  well  laid  out  and  kept.  There 
are  many  engineers  and  artists  among  the  Filipinos." 

Our  grand  army  of  American  mercenaries,  office- 
holders and  office  seekers,  were  annoyed  beyond  belief 
at  the  following  information.  They  were  deeply  pained 
by  it,  and  their  profanity  was  profuse  when  it  appeared 
in  the  papers : 

(By  The  Associated  Press.) 

''Milwaukee,  Wis.,  June  26,  1899. — Brig.-Gen.  Charles 
King,  who  returned  from  the  Philippines  a  short  time 
ago,  was  asked  by  the  Milwaukee  Journal  for  his  views 
of  the  situation  in  the  Philippines.  General  King's  reply 
was  received  in  a  letter  today  in  which  he  states  that  the 
capability  of  the  Filipinos  for  self-government  cannot  be 
doubted  and  if  given  a  fair  start  they  could  look  out  for 
themselves  infinitely  better  than  our  people  imagine. 

General  King's  letter  reads  as  follows : 

'San  Francisco,  Gal.,  June  22,  1899. — To  the  editor  of 
the  Journal,  Milwaukee,  Wis. — Dear  Sir:  Thinking 
over  your  telegram  and  request  of  June  7,  I  find  my- 
self seriously  embarrassed.  As  an  officer  of  the  army 
there  are  many  reasons  why  I  could  not  give  my  'views 
of  the  situation  in  the  PhiHppines,  how  long  fighting  is 
likely  to  continue  and  thoughts  as  to  America's  part  in 
future  of  islands.' 

'The  capability  of  the  Filipinos  for  self-government 
cannot  be  doubted;  such  men  as  Arrellano,  Aguinaldo 
and  many  others  whom  I  might  name  are  highly  edu- 


62         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

cated;  nine-tenths  of  the  people  read  and  write;  all  are 
skilled  artisans  in  one  way  or  another;  they  are  indus- 
trious, frugal,  temperate  and,  if  given  a  fair  start,  could 
look  out  for  themselves  infinitely  better  than  our  people 
imagine.  In  my  opinion  they  rank  far  higher  than  the 
Cubans  or  the  uneducated  negroes  to  whom  we  have 
given  the  right  of  suffrage.    Very  truly  yours, 

'Charles  King.' " 

Afterward  in  an  interview  in  the  Catholic  Citizen  of 
Milwaukee,  General  King  reiterated  in  the  following 
words  what  he  had  already  declared : 

"The  Americans  here  do  not  realize  the  truth  that 
nine-tenths  of  the  people  read  and  write.  Men  have  told 
me  again  and  again  that  they  cannot  credit  it.  I  told 
those  whom  I  met  it  certainly  was  so,  and  I  have  as  au- 
thority the  Jesuits — who  assured   me  that  this  is  so. 

*  *  *  There  is  fair  education  everywhere,  and 
many  people  have  ability.  The  men  in  power  whom  I 
met  are  gentlemen,  many  of  whom  are  scholars,  edu- 
cated abroad,  polished  in  manners,  perfect  in  courtesy, 
broad-minded  and  ripe  in  judgment. 

"There  is  no  reason  in  the  world,  why  the  people  should 
not  have  the  self-government  which  they  so  passion- 
ately desire,  so  far  as  their  individual  ability  to  carry  it 
on  goes." 

Lieutenant  John  D.  Ford,  U.  S.  N.,  of  the  Olympia 
said  in  Baltimore  in  1899: 

"The  Filipinos  are  of  an  intelligent  industrious  char- 
acter. The  women  are  virtuous,  more  so,  perhaps,  than 
those  of  almost  any  other  nation.  It  is  believed  by  many 
that  they  are  a  very  ignorant  race,  but  such  is  not  the 
case.  There  is  hardly  a  man  or  woman,  even  in  the  mid- 
dle class^  who  can  not  read  and  write.  The  children  are 
given  early  education,  and  are  quick  to  learn. 

"The  half  savage  Negritos  are  no  more  representatives 
of  the  Filipino  race  than  our  Indians  are  representatives 
of  this  great  country.  There  are  only  about  100,000 
Negritos.  *  *  *  There  is  in  my  mind  but  one  way 
to  settle  the  difficulty,  and  that  is  by  diplomacy.  The  ia- 


FITNESS   FOR  SELF-GOVERNMENT.  63 

surgents,  or  rebels,  or  whatever  you  choose  to  call  them, 
do  not  know  what  the  United  States  wishes  to  do  with 
them.  Aguinaldo,  is  in  every  sense,  a  patriot,  and  I  be- 
lieve he  is  sincere  in  his  efforts  for  his  people,  and  means 
well.  He  is  also  a  fighter,  and  says  he  means  to  keep  on 
warring  until  the  natives  get  a  government  of  their  own." 

Before  Admiral  Dewey  returned  to  America,  he  de- 
clared boldly,  both  by  word  and  deed,  that  he  believed  in 
Filipino  fitness  for  self-government. 

General  Otis  seems  to  be  simply  a  soldier,  obeying  or- 
ders contrary  to  his  judgment,  if  not  conscience,  if  cer- 
tain information  is  true,  as  it  seems  to  be.  We  quote 
the  following: 

(By  the  Associated  Press.) 

''Boston,  Mass.,  July  7,  1899.  —  The  Rev.  Clay 
Macauley  has  written  a  letter  to  the  Transcript,  dated 
at  Tokyo,  Japan.  Mr.  Macauley  declares  that  Admiral 
Dewey  said  to  him: 

'Rather  than  make  a  war  of  conquest  upon  the  Fili- 
pino people  I  would  up  anchor  and  sail  out  of  the 
harbor.* 

"Mr.  Macauley  visited  Manila  in  January  in  search  of 
health.  Of  his  views  then  he  writes:  Tor  a  long  time 
I  could  not  believe  that  the  disastrous  drift  of  events  was 
known  to  the  Washington  authorities.  I  was  inclined  to 
lay  the  responsibility  for  the  increasing  perils  upon  the 
military  commander  directly  in  charge. 

'Yet  now  it  seems  clear  to  me  that  General  Otis  did  this 
work  in  the  main  in  literal  obedience  to  his  superiors  in 
America;  that  there  it  was  assumed  that  the  whole  right 
and  duty  concerning  the  future  disposition  and  control 
of  the  Philippine  islands  lay  in  the  wishes  and  will  of  the 
United  States;  that  what  the  FiHpinos  themselves  might 
wish  need  not  be  taken  into  the  account  in  formulating 
plans  for  their  government.' 

"The  writer  had  a  talk  with  General  Otis." 

'Among  other  things,*  said  Mr.  Macauley,  'General 
Otis  expressed  regret  that  there  was  not  a  better  knowl- 
edge of  the  situatioa  among  the  Washington  legisktora 


64         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

than  there  seemed  to  be.  And  he  impressed  me  deeply 
by  his  declaration:  "I  was  ordered  to  this  post  from  San 
Francisco.  I  did  not  believe  in  the  annexation  of  these 
islands  when  I  came  here,  nor  do  I  believe  in  their  an- 
nexation now." 

'I  also  had  the  privilege  of  a  conversation  with  Ad- 
miral Dewey/  the  writer  says,  and  gives  this  version  of 
it:  'Dewey  spoke  much  of  his  concern  over  the  turn 
affairs  had  taken  and  added  that  he  was  ''powerless  to 
act."  ' 

"Mr.  Macauley  says  he  wrote  President  McKinley, 
whom  he  met  in  Washington,  regarding  the  situation 
and  predicting  the  outbreak  which  has  since  occurred." 

Admiral  Dewey  had  not  returned  to  America  at  the 
following  date: 

(By  The  Associated  Press.) 

"London,  Aug.  21,  1899. — The  Naples  correspondent 
of  the  Daily  News,  telegraphs  the  substance  of  an  inter- 
view he  had  with  Admiral  Dewey  there  during  the  ad- 
miral's recent  visit. 

"Admiral  Dewey  said  he  believed  the  Philippine  ques- 
tion would  shortly  be  solved.  In  his  judgment  the  in- 
habitants were  capable  of  self-government,  and  the  only 
way  to  settle  the  insurrection  and  to  insure  prosperity, 
was  to  concede  it  to  them.  He  declared  that  he  was 
never  in  favor  of  violence  toward  the  Filipinos,  and  re- 
marked that  after  autonomy  had  been  conceded,  annexa- 
tion might  be  talked  of." 

But  we  prefer  to  quote  the  following  clause  directly 
(rom  The  London  Daily  News,  being  portions  of  this 
interview  which  bear  upon  questions  under  considera- 
tion: 

"Conversation  then,  after  some  remarks  from  Admiral 
Dewey  on  the  United  States  navy,  and  to  the  various 
episodes  of  the  battle  of  Cavite,  turned  to  the  question 
of  the  Philippines.  'Do  you  think,  Admiral,  that  the 
islands  are  Hkely  to  be  pacified  soon?'  The  Admiral  re- 
plied as  follows : 

"I  have  the  question  of  the  Philippines  more  at  heart 


GENERAL  WHITTIER'S  EVIDENCE.  65 

than  any  other  American,  because  I  know  the  Filipinos 
intimately,  and  they  know  that  I  am  their  friend.  The 
recent  insurrection  is  the  fruit  of  the  anarchy  which  has 
so  long  reigned  in  the  island.  The  insurgents  will  have 
to  submit  themselves  to  law  after  being  accustomed  to 
no  law  at  all.  I  beheve  and  affirm,  nevertheless,  that 
the  Philippine  question  will  be  very  shortly  solved.  The 
Filipinos  are  capable  of  governing  themselves.  They 
have  all  the  qualifications  for  it.  It  is  a  question  of  time; 
but  the  only  way  to  settle  the  insurrection  and  to  assure 
prosperity  to  the  archipelago  is  to  concede  self-govern- 
ment to  the  inhabitants.  That  would  be  the  solution  of 
many  questions,  and  would  satisfy  all,  especially  the 
Filipinos,  who  believe  themselves  worthy  of  it,  and 
are  so.' 

"  'Self-government  for  the  Philippines  has,  however, 
not  many  partisans  in  America,'  I  remarked. 

"  T  have  never  been  in  favor  of  violence  toward  the 
Filipinos,'  replied,  or  rather  continued,  the  Admiral. 
'The  islands  are  at  this  moment  blockaded  by  a  fleet,  and 
war  reigns  in  the  interior.  This  abnormal  state  of  things 
should  cease.  I  should  like  to  see  autonomy  first  con- 
ceded, and  then  annexation  might  be  talked  about.  This 
is  my  opinion,  and  I  should  like  to  see  violence  at  once 
put  a  stop  to.  According  to  me,  the  concession  of  self- 
government  ought  to  be  the  most  just  and  the  most 
logical  solution.' 

"The  Admiral  spoke  with  an  air  of  frank  conviction." 

General  Charles  A.  Whittier,  who  received  the  surren- 
der of  the  Spaniards  at  Manila^  and  afterward  acted  as 
collector  of  that  port,  was  probably  as  well  able  to  judge 
of  the  situation  there  as  any  one,  and  in  a  letter  to  the 
great  American  "traitor,"  Mr.  Atkinson,  he  wrote  as  an 
avowed  expansionist: 

"When  we  were  first  in  the  bay — and  for  some  little 
while  after  the  surrender — I  was  greatly  opposed  to  our 
country  taking  the  islands,  doubting  if  it  was  right,  be- 
lieving that  we  had  quite  enough  country  of  our  own  to 
develop,  and  that  it  was  absolutely  against  all  our  tradi- 


66         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

tional  and  accepted  policy.  The  British  merchants — a 
respectable  lot — were  most  insistent  that  we  should  not 
leave,  and  talked  so  much  on  this  subject  that  at  last 
the  moment  one  of  them  began  a  sentence  I  would  stop 
him  and  say :  'I  know  what  you  are  going  to  declare — 
that  we  must  hold  the  country.  Personally,  I  should 
much  prefer  that  England  should  have  it,  but  it  doesn't 
rest  at  all  with  any  one  here.  The  whole  matter  will  be 
settled  at  Paris  and  Washington.' 

"But  after  a  little  while,  with  my  changed  estimate  of 
the  Filipino  character,  seeing  their  order,  industry,  fru- 
gality^ temperance,  tolerance  of  danger  and  fatigue,  and 
when  I  reviewed  their  struggle  for  independence,  the 
brutalities  inflicted  upon  them  for  years  by  the  Spaniards, 
and  their  dignity  still,  it  seemed  to  me  our  duty  to  use 
them  and  our  own  credit  and  resources  in  making  a 
great  country,  as  I  believe  it  could  have  been  made. 

"I  felt,  and  still  feel  sure,  that  with  a  little  tact  and 
diplomacy,  the  people  would  have  accepted  our  protec- 
torate— my  idea  being  to  intrust  them  with  the  adminis- 
tration of  all  the  local  offices,  to  admit  them  to  subor- 
dinate places  in  our  army,  by  which  in  a  short  time  a 
force  of  5,000  men  would  have  been  adequate,  an ',  after 
a  fair  trial,  in  case  they  developed  a  capacity  for  govern- 
ment and  the  devotion  to  the  best  interests  of  their 
country  (of  which  I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt),  to  ex- 
tend their  functions,  and  should  have  been  glad,  in  proper 
time,  to  have  turned  over  the  whole  country  to  them. 
Such  a  course  would  have  involved  no  loss  of  life  or  of 
money. 

"I  cannot  tell  you,  Mr.  Atkinson,  what  a  deep  and  se- 
rious feeling  I  have  about  all  this  matter.  I  don't  think 
there  was  a  necessity  for  the  loss  of  a  single  life  in  battle 
at  Manila  since  the  first  day  of  May,  1898 — the  day  of 
Dewey's  naval  battle — and  I  grieve  every  day  over  the 
new  recitals  of  this  wicked  fighting  and  its  attendant  re- 
sults. 

"I  may  say,  I  think,  without  vanity,  that  the  qualities 
shown  by  Aguinaldo  and  his  people  fully  justify  all  that 
I  said  before  the  peace  commission,  and  the  newspapers 
— notably  the  Sun — though  they  give  him  no  credit  for 


GENERAL    LAWTON'S  TESTIMONY.  67 

his  wonderful  defense,  have  for  the  last  few  weeks 
ceased  their  potent  argument  of  calling  him  a  'nigger,' 
'savage,'  'an  impudent  pretender,'  'the  kniglit  of  the 
golden  whistle,'  etc." 

That  gallant  soldier,  our  dead  hero,  who  lost  his  noble 
life  in  "this  accursed  war"  (using  his  own  words  for  it) 
like  many  another  brave  "Regular"  our  "Only  a  Regu- 
lar"— Lawton,  whose  very  name  stirs  an  American's 
heart,  if  it  does  not  dim  the  eye,  said  of  these  Filipinos — 
"They  are  the  bravest  men  I  ever  saw!"  "Such  men  de- 
serve to  be  heard!"  To  show  that  if  such  men  as  Lawton 
had  been  listened  to,  they  would  have  been  heard,  we 
quote  the  following  from  The  Chicago  Tribune  of  Sep- 
tember 9,  1899: 

"New  York,  Sept.  8,  1899. — (Special.) — In  the  current 
number  of  the  Congregationalist,  Boston,  the  Rev.  Peter 
MacQueen  (the  chaplain  of  the  first  California  Volun- 
teers), who  has  been  in  the  Philippines,  for  the  last 
year  in  service  with  the  army,  quotes  General  Lawton  as 
saying: 

'The  Filipinos  are  a  fine  set  of  soldiers.  They  are  far 
better  than  the  Indians.  The  latter  never  fight  unless 
they  have  the  absolute  advantage.  The  Tagals  are  what 
I  would  call  a  civilized  race.  They  are  good  mechanics, 
imitative — they  manufacture  everything.  They  have  ar- 
senals and  cartridge  factories  and  powder  mills.  They 
can  manufacture  everything  they  need.  There  is  a  rude 
arm  they  are  getting  the  knack  of  making. 

'Taking  everything  into  consideration,  the  few  facili- 
ties they  have,  the  many  drawbacks,  they  are  an  ingenious 
and  artistic  race.  And  taking  into  account  the  disadvan- 
tages they  have  to  fight  against  in  arms,  equipment,  and 
military  discipline,  without  artillery,  short  of  ammuni- 
tion, powder  inferior,  shells  reloaded  until  they  are  de- 
fective, inferior  in  every  particular  of  equipment  and  sup- 
plies, they  are  the  bravest  men  I  have  ever  seen. 

'Among  the  Filipinos  there  are  many  cultured  people, 
who  would  ornament  society  anywhere  in  the  world — 


68         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

women  who  have  studied  and  traveled,  men  who  have  a 
good  education  and  a  fine  brain.  Take  them  as  a  class, 
there  can  as  many  of  them  read  and  write  as  the  inhabit- 
ants in  many  places  in  America.  As  for  their  treachery, 
you  would  not  have  to  come  so  far  as  this  to  find  that. 
There  is  plenty  of  it  in  North  America.  All  nations  are 
treacherous,  more  or  less.  Some  men  and  nations  have 
treachery  trained  out  of  them  more  than  others. 

'What  we  want  is  to  stop  this  accursed  war.  It  is 
time  for  diplomacy;  time  for  mutual  understandings. 
These  men  are  indomitable.  At  Bacoor  bridge  they 
waited  till  the  Americans  brought  their  cannon  to  within 
thirty-five  yards  of  their  trenches.  Such  men  have  the 
right  to  be  heard.  All  they  want  is  a  little  justice.  I 
established  a  civil  government  at  BeHnag,  with  the  gov- 
ernment entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  natives.  It  worked 
to  perfection.  All  these  people  need  for  self-government 
is  the  protection  of  our  troops  till  afifairs  have  quieted, 
and  then  they  will,  I  have  no  doubt,  advance  as  rapidly 
as  the  Japanese,  perhaps  more  rapidly.'  " 

President  Schurman,  the  chairman  of  the  first  Philip- 
pine Peace  Commission,  was  quoted  in  an  Associated 
Press  dispatch  of  September  13th,  1899,  as  saying: 

*T  have  great  confidence  in  the  people  of  the  Philip- 
pine islands,  and  much  sympathy  for  their  aspirations. 
A  race  should  be  judged  by  its  best  products,  and  an 
educated  Filipino  of  whatever  tribe,  and  each  city  has 
its  educated  men,  will  bear  comparison  with  an  educated 
man  of  any  other  race." 

Prof.  Dean  C.  Worcester  of  both  the  first  and  second 
Philippine  Commissions  wrote: 

"If  I  have  anywhere  stated  that  the  natives  are  In- 
capable of  self-government,  I  have  said  what  I  did  not 
mean  to  say.  *  *  *  The  Filipino  has  developed 
many  admirable  traits.  He  is  peaceable  and  cheerful; 
his  self-restraint  is  remarkable;  his  family  is  well  or- 
dered; in  some  instances,  at  any  rate,  he  shows  executive 
ability  of  no  mean  order  when  called  upon  to  attend  to 


FITNESS    FOR   SELF-GOVERNMENT.  69 

the  administration  of  local  affairs  in  the  more  important 
towns." 

General  Joseph  Wheeler,  in  an  interview  in  San  Fran- 
cisco March  7,  1900,  upon  his  return  from  the  Philip- 
pines, said: 

"So  far  as  their  capacity  for  self-government  is  con- 
cerned, I  think  that  the  Filipinos  are  capable  of  it  under 
certain  restrictions. 

"The  few  experiments  already  made  in  civic  govern- 
ments throughout  the  provinces  have  been  very  success- 
ful, and  I  think  they  ought  to  have  authority  to  make 
their  own  laws  and  govern  themselves  under  a  system 
similar  to  that  known  as  our  territorial  system. 

"This  they  practically  had  under  the  Spanish  regime, 
and  they  did  very  well.  There  are  a  great  many  more 
intelligent  and  educated  men  among  them  than  is  gen- 
erally supposed." 

With  such  evidence,  from  such  witnesses,  as  to  the 
fitness  of  the  Filipinos  for  self-government,  no  honest 
argument  can  be  found  against  it. 

Of  coiirse  there  will  be  weeping  and  wailing  and 
gnashing  of  teeth  among  the  vampire  politicians,  who 
hope  for  positions  and  plunder  among  American  colo- 
nies, but,  thank  God,  they  are  not  the  true  American 
People. 

In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the 
Constitution  of  the  Philippine  Republic  was  modeled 
after  that  of  the  United  States  of  America,  as  were  its 
forms  of  government  and  official  procedure. 

Their  Congress  included  quite  as  large  a  proportion  of 
cultured  men  as  any  American  or  European  legislature 
can  boast,  among  them  being  seventeen  graduates  of 
European  universities. 

They  were  men  of  ability  who  would  be  recognized  as 
such  among  any  people. 


70         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

To  show  something  of  their  line  of  thought  and  actual 
legislation  we  quote  from  the  beginning  of  their  Consti- 
tution a  few  clauses  only: 

"We,  the  representatives  of  the  Philippine  people,  law- 
fully invoked,  in  order  to  establish  justice,  provide  for 
common  defense,  promote  general  welfare,  and  insure 
the  benefits  of  freedom,  imploring  the  aid  of  the  Sover- 
eign Legislator  of  the  Universe  in  order  to  attain  these 
purposes,  have  voted,  decreed,  and  sanctioned  the  fol- 
lowing— 

POLITICAL  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  PHILIP- 
PINE REPUBLIC. 

"Article  i.  The  political  association  of  all  the  Filipinos 
constitutes  a  nation,  the  estate  of  which  is  denominated 
Philippine  Republic. 

"Art.  2.  The  Philippine  Republic  is  free  and  inde- 
pendent. 

"Art.  3.     Sovereignty  resides  exclusively  in  the  people. 

"Art.  4.  The  government  of  the  republic  is  popular, 
representative,  alternative,  and  responsible,  and  is  exer- 
cised by  three  distinct  powers,  which  are  denominated 
legislative,  executive,  and  judicial.  Two  or  more  of  these 
powers  shall  never  be  vested  in  one  person  or  corpora- 
tion; neither  shall  the  legislature  be  vested  in  one  indi- 
vidual alone. 

"Art.  5.  The  state  recognizes  the  equality  of  all  re- 
ligious worships  and  the  separation  of  the  church  and 
the  state." 

See  pages  107-109  of  Senate  Document  No.  208  of 
the  56th  Congress. 

Their  constitution  contains  the  same  safeguards  for 
freedom  as  are  to  be  found  in  the  constitutions  of  our 
American  States. 

It  was  promulgated  on  January  23,  1899,  at  Malolos, 
Island  of  Luzon,  and  can  compare  favorably  with  our 
own. 


WILCOX  AND  SARGENT'S  REPORTS.  ^l 

CHAPTER  IX. 

FILIPINO    CIVILIZATION    IN   LUZON. 

Naval  Cadet  Leonard  R.  Sargent  and  Paymaster  W. 
B.  Wilcox^  U.  S.  N.,  who  traveled  through  the  Island 
of  Luzon  by  Admiral  Dewey's  permission  during  the 
months  of  October  and  November,  1898,  wrote  a  report 
which  received  Admiral  Dewey's  official  endorsement,  as 
follows: 

"Approved  and  respectfully  forwarded  for  the  informa- 
tion of  the  Navy  Department.  Especial  attention  is  in- 
vited to  this  interesting  and  carefully  prepared  report, 
which,  in  my  opinion,  contains  the  most  complete  and 
reliable  information  obtainable  in  regard  to  the  present 
state  of  the  northern  part  of  Luzon  Island. 

"Gecfrge  Dewey, 
"Rear- Admiral,  LT.  S.  Navy,  Commanding  Asiatic  Squad- 
ron." 

Mr.  Sargent  also  wrote  two  articles  for  the  Outlook  of 
September  2  and  23,  1899,  *^^^  we  quote  a  few  sentences 
from  them  as  follows: 

"At  that  time  the  military  forces  of  the  United  States 
held  control  only  in  Manila,  with  its  environs,  and  in 
Cavite,  and  had  no  authority  to  proceed  farther.  In  the 
meantime  the  native  population,  taking  matters  into  their 
own  hands,  had  declared  their  independence  from  all 
foreign  jurisdiction  and  had  set  up  a  provisional  govern- 
ment with  Aguinaldo  at  its  head.  Although  this  govern- 
ment has  never  been  recognized,  *  *  *  it  can  not 
be  denied  that,  in  a  region  occupied  by  many  millions  of 
inhabitants,  for  nearly  six  months  it  stood  alone  between 
anarchy  and  order.  It  was  the  opinion  at  Mc^nila  during 
this  period,  and  possibly  in  the  United  States,  that  their 
condition  was  something  akin  to  anarchy. 

VI  can  state  unreservedly,  however,  that  Mr.  Wilcox 
and  I  found  the  conditions  to  be  much  at  variance  with 
this  opinion. 

"We  visited  seven  provinces,  of  which  some  were  un- 


72         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

der  the  immediate  control  of  the  central  government  at 
Malolos,  while  others  were  remotely  situated  and  ac- 
cessible only  by  lengthy  and  arduous  travel. 

*'As  a  tribute  to  the  efficiency  of  Aguinaldo's  govern- 
ment and  to  the  law-abiding  character  of  his  subjects,  I 
offer  the  fact  that  Mr.  Wilcox  and  I  pursued  our  journey 
throughout  in  perfect  security  and  returned  to  Manila 
with  only  the  most  pleasing  recollections  of  the  quiet  and 
orderly  life  which  we  found  the  natives  to  be  leading 
under  their  new  regime.  *  *  *  We  traveled  first 
across  the  province  of  Nueva  Icija,  by  far  the  poorest 
and  least  interesting  of  all  the  provinces  we  visited.  And 
yet  even  here  we  were  greatly  surprised  by  the  intelli- 
gence and  refinement  of  the  inhabitants.  *  'H  *  \Ye 
were  particularly  struck  by  the  dignified  demeanor  of  our 
hosts  and  by  the  graceful  manner  in  which  they  extended 
to  us  their  welcome.  We  had  unlimited  opportunities  for 
conversation  with  the  citizens  of  the  towns,  and  we  found 
everywhere  a  class  that  gave  evidence  of  considerable 
culture  and  a  certain  amount  of  education.  *  *  * 
The  Spanish  language,  Spanish  history,  church  history, 
and  the  dead  languages  evidently  formed  its  leading 
features.  The  natives  of  this  class  seemed  to  have  made 
use  of  the  opportunities  offered  them,  and  they  had  the 
subjects    above    mentioned    completely    at    command. 

"Our  route  carried  us  through  the  valley  of  the  Rio 
Grande  Cagayan — probably  the  largest  area  of  level 
country  in  Luzon  Island.  Its  towns  throughout  give  evi- 
dence of  the  labor  that  has  been  expended  on  them.  Each 
town  has  an  elaborate  church  and  convent,  usually  built 
of  brick.  Our  entertainment  in  the  different  towns 
varied  according  to  the  facilities  at  hand,  but  in  all  cases 
music  was  the  leading  feature.  The  towns  of  Ilagan 
and  Aparri,  with  their  wealthy  and  pleasure-loving  popu- 
lation, provided  a  most  elaborate  entertainment.  These 
towns  are  laid  out  in  regular  streets,  and  have  many 
squares  of  substantial  frame  buildings.  They  have  each 
a  population  of  between  ten  and  fifteen  thousand.  We 
spent  three  days  at  Ilagan^  and  I  think  it  was  here  that 
we  were  brought  into  closest  touch  with  the  Filipino 
character.     The  cultured  class  which  I  have  spoken  of 


CADET  SARGENT'S  REPORT.        ^z 

before  was  strongly  in  evidence,  and  I  think  before  leav- 
ing we  had  discussed  views  with  nearly  every  member 
of  it.  They  all  realized  that  they  were  passing  through  a 
crucial  period  in  the  history  of  their  people,  and  were 
eager  to  acquire  all  possible  knowledge  that  might  assist 
them  to  think  clearly  in  this  crisis.  On  the  evening  fol- 
lowing our  arrival  a  ball  was  given  in  our  honor,  which 
was  attended  by  all  the  elite  of  the  town.  There  were 
present  about  fifty  young  women  and  twice  that  number 
of  men.  All  were  dressed  in  European  fashion.  The 
girls  were  pleasant,  and  the  men  comported  themselves 
in  all  respects  like  gentlemen.  It  was  hard  to  realize 
that  we  were  in  the  very  heart  of  a  country  generally 
supposed  to  be  given  up  to  semi-savages. 

"During  our  stay  at  Ilagan  we  lived  at  the  house  of 
the  mayor.  This  building  was  of  great  size,  and  was 
built  of  magnificent  hard  wood  from  the  neighboring 
forest.  The  reception  room  was  very  large,  with  a  finely 
polished  floor.  It  contained  a  piano  and  set  of  excellent 
bamboo  furniture,  including  the  most  comfortable  chairs 
and  divans  imaginable.  The  Filipinos  pride  themselves 
on  their  cookery,  and  it  is  indeed  excellent.  There  is 
no  suspicion  of  the  greasy  and  garlicky  flavor  that  char- 
acterizes a  Spanish  meal.  The  shortest  of  three  dinners 
given  in  our  honor  numbered  fifteen  courses,  and  seemed 
interminable.  In  addition  to  fish,  rice,  chickens,  and 
other  domestic  products  of  the  country,  there  was  served 
game  of  many  sorts,  including  doves,  snipes,  deer,  moun- 
tain buffalo,  and  boar.  It  was  astonishing  how  many  of 
the  dishes  were  "comida  del  pais,"  and  must  be  sampled 
by  the  visitor  to  secure  a  just  conception  of  the  Filipino 
talent  in  matters  of  the  palate.  The  Filipino's  table  is 
always  set,  at  least  when  guests  are  present,  with  a  table- 
cloth and  napkins  and  the  customary  supply  of  knives 
and  forks.  He  is  very  temperate  in  his  use  of  Hquor. 
I  have  never  seen  an  intoxicated  Filipino." 

From  such  law-abiding,  liberty-loving,  reliable  citizens 
of  the  Philippines  were  recruited  the  Masons  and  Kati- 
punans  who  started  the  insurrection,  and  the  men  who 
formed  the  Filipino  army  in  their  fight  against  the  friars. 


74         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

CHAPTER  X. 
AMERICAN  CIVILIZATION  IN  LUZON. 
Before  passing  from  this  testimony  as  to  the  temper- 
ate habits  of  the  Filipinos  we  wish  to  call  especial  atten- 
tion to  this  point,  and  to  emphasize  it  by  the  following 
evidence  presented  by  General  Whittier  to  the  Paris 
Peace  Commissioners,  to  be  found  upon  page  501  of 
Senate  Document  No.  62  of  the  55th  Congress: 

"I  talked  with  Spanish  prisoners  at  Tarlac,  an  import-- 
ant  military  station  on  the  line  of  the  railroad,  and  they 
said  they  had  had  good  treatment  only.  The  wives  of 
two  officers  had  lately  visited  their  husbands  in  jail  (one 
at  Dagupan,  123  miles  north),  and  gave  same  testimony. 
Aguinaldo,  in  a  letter  of  August  i  to  our  late  Consul  at 
Manila,  Mr.  Williams,  said,  'Say  to  the  Government  at 
Washington  that  the  Filipino  people  abominate  sav- 
agery; that  in  the  midst  of  their  past  misfortunes  they 
have  learned  to  love  liberty,  order,  justice,  and  civil  life.' 
I  believe  the  natives  to  be  brave  (under  good  leadership), 
most  tolerant  of  fatigue  and  hunger,  and  amenable  to 
command  and  discipline,  if  justice  and  fair  dealing  rule. 
They  are  very  temperate,  as  most  natives  of  the  East  are. 
I  have  never  seen  a  drunken  one,  and  this  with  the  ex- 
ample of  our  soldiers,  whom  they  imitate  in  everything 
else;  very  quiet,  no  loud  quarrels,  very  good  house  ser- 
vants and  cooks." 

Before  Messrs.  Sargent  &  Wilcox  took  this  tour  of 
investigation.  General  Wesley  Merritt,  the  American 
Commander  then,  made  the  following  memorandum,  to 
be  seen  upon  page  23  of  Senate  document  No.  208  of  the 
56th  Congress,  which  is  as  official  as  any  endorsement 
could  be: 

"For  myself  and  the  officers  and  men  under  my  com- 
mand I  can  say  that  we  have  conceived  a  high  respect 
for  the  ability  and  qualities  of  the  Filipinos,  and  if  called 


AMERICAN   CIVILIZATION   IN  LUZON.  75 

upon  by  the  government  to  express  an  opinion  it  will  be 
to  that  effect.  Wesley  Merritt, 

"Major-General." 

But  upon  page  25  of  this  same  document  is  the  fol- 
lowing  account   of   the    first    violence    and   bloodshed 
between  the  Americans  and  Filipinos  which  must  have 
lowered  the  Americans  immensely  in  the  eyes  of  all  in- 
telligent  Filipinos,   being   only   the   intimation   of  the 
trouble  brewing: 
''(Telegram    received    from    Aguinaldo,    5:13    a.   m., 
August  25,  1898.) 
''General  Merritt: 

"Concerning  trouble  between  PhiHppine  and  American 
forces  at  Cavite,  I  have  received  notice  of  the  death  of 
one  American  soldier  and  three  wounded.  It  is  said  that 
this  happened  by  their  being  drunk.  They  fired  in  the 
air  at  the  beginning,  but  afterwards  fought  among  them- 
selves. 

"General  Anderson  says  death  has  been  occasioned  by 
my  people,  on  account  of  which  I  have  ordered  investi- 
gations to  ascertain  the  truth  and  demonstrate  that  the 
Filipinos  try  to  be  in  harmony  with  the  Americans.  If 
I  shall  find  any  one  of  my  people  guilty,  I  shall  order 
severe  punishment.  Yours  respectfully, 

"Aguinaldo." 

The  reply  follows: 

"Malacanan,  August  25,  1898,  8:05  a.  m. 
"General  Aguinaldo,   Commanding   Philippine   Forces, 

Bakoor: 

"Thanks  for  your  telegram.  I  am  glad  to  learn  of  your 
intention  to  investigate-  fully.  I  am  desirous  with  you 
that  harmony  should  prevail,  and  request  you  always,  in 
event  of  trouble,  to  communicate  directly  with  me,  as 
you  have  so  wisely  done  this  time.  Merritt." 

An  Associated  Press  dispatch  of  August  25,  1898,  from 
Manila,  said: 

"The  friction  between  Americans  and  natives  requires 
exceptional  ability  to  avoid  total  alienation.  I  find  several 


^6         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

high  officials  of  mediocre  education  who  are  utterly  un- 
acquainted with  oriental  ideas,  and  unable  to  understand 
the  primitive  races. 

'The  American  censor  absolutely  prohibits  sending  a 
single  word  about  the  Cavite  incident  of  yesterday.  A 
deputation  from  the  press  is  going  to  Merritt  to  protest 
against  the  action.  The  affair  began  in  a  drunken  Amer- 
ican shooting  the  native  sentries  who  attempted  to  arrest 
him.  Four  natives  and  one  American  were  killed.  Mer- 
ritt returned  their  arms  to  the  company  which  fired  upon 
the  Americans  presumably  inadvertently.  The  Ameri- 
cans condemn  Merritt's  course." 

From  this  dispatch  it  can  be  seen  that  two  of  the  vital 
evils  of  our  Filipino  conquest  had  begun  and  were  fla- 
grant at  this  date: 

The  Censorship  which  deceived  Americans  at  home, 
and  debauchery  which  disgusted  and  alienated  our  Fili- 
pino allies  and  friends  through  the  Philippines. 

We  wish  to  place  the  blame  for  both  exactly  where 
they  belong  by  presenting  the  facts  in  the  case  as  they 
were  and  are. 

As  General  Otis  had  not  taken  the  command  of  the 
Philippine  forces  then,  he  could  not  be  blamed  for  the 
origin  of  the  Censorship  there. 

As  it  was  continued  after  General  Merritt  had  gone, 
only  the  administration  or  "government"  at  Washington 
was,  and  is,  responsible  for  it. 

As  to  the  liquor  traffic  in  the  Philippines  which  sprang 
from  very  moderate  proportions  to  a  tremendous  trade 
almost  immediately  upon  the  arrival  of  the  American 
army  at  Manila,  the  responsibility  for  that  iniquity  in  the 
Philippines  rests  wholly  at  Washington  with  the  Admin- 
istration also. 

From  a  few  insignificant  shacks  where  vino  and  native 
wines  were  sold,  with  only  three  more  pretentious  resorts 
for  foreigners,   it   swelled  to  fabulous  size,  till  liquors 


AMERICAN   CIVILIZATION   IN   LUZON.  77 

of  all  kinds  came  in  car  load  lots  to  San  Francisco  to  be 
reshipped  in  cargoes  that  filled  ocean  vessels  which  fol- 
lowed our  fleet  in  quick  succession. 

We  quote  only  one  of  many  dispatches  on  this  subject: 
"[By  The  Associated  Press.] 

''San  Francisco,  Cal,  Oct.  11. — A  new  trade  with  the 
Philippines  has  sprung  up.  During  the  last  six  or  seven 
weeks  no  less  than  fifty  carloads  of  beer  and  six  carloads 
of  cigarettes  have  been  sent  there.  Milwaukee  and  St. 
Louis  firms  are  shipping  the  beer,  and  Richmond,  New 
York  and  several  other  eastern  cities  are  forwarding  the 
cigarettes.  The  articles  are  for  the  use  of  the  American 
soldiers,  though  it  is  expected  that  the  shipments  may 
be  welcomed  by  the  natives." 

To  show  that  the  Commanding  General  of  the  Army 
felt  keenly  and  acted  upon  this  subject  as  he  did  regard- 
ing canned  beef  and  other  iniquities,  we  quote  again : 
"[By  The  Associated  Press.] 

"Washington,  D.  C,  July  7. — Major-General  Miles  has 
issued  the  following  general  order  to  the  army : 

"The  army  is  engaged  in  active  service  under  climatic 
conditions  which  it  has  not  before  experienced.  In  order 
that  it  may  perform  its  most  difficult  and  laborious  duties 
with  the  least  practical  loss  from  sickness,  the  utmost 
care  consistent  with  prompt  and  efficient  service  must 
be  exercised  by  all,  especially  by  officers. 

"The  history  of  other  armies  has  demonstrated  that  in 
a  hot  climate  abstinence  from  the  use  of  intoxicating 
drinks  is  essential  to  continued  health  and  efficiency. 

"Commanding  officers  of  all  grades  and  officers  of  the 
medical  stafif  will  carefully  note  the  effect  of  the  use  of 
such  light  beverages — wines  and  beer — as  are  permitted 
to  be  sold  at  the  post  and  camp  exchanges,  and  the  com- 
manders of  all  independent  commands  are  enjoined  to 
restrict  or  to  entirely  prohibit  the  sale  of  such  beverages 
if  the  welfare  of  the  troops  or  the  interests  of  the  service 
require  such  action. 

"In  this  most  important  hour  of  the  nation's  history  it 
is  due  the  government  from  all  those  in  its  service  that 


78         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

they  should  not  only  render  the  most  earnest  efforts  for 
its  honor  and  welfare,  but  their  full  physical  and  intel- 
lectual force  should  be  given  to  their  public  duties,  un- 
contaminated  by  any  indulgences  that  shall  dim,  stultify, 
weaken  or  impair  their  faculties  and  strength  in  any 
particular. 

''Officers  of  every  grade,  by  example  as  well  as  by 
authority,  will  contribute  to  the  enforcement  of  the  order. 

"With  a  view  to  avoid  extreme  suffering  among 
wounded  horses  or  mules  on  the  field  of  battle  it  is  here- 
by ordered,  that  a  veterinary  surgeon  or  some  other 
person  detailed  by  the  commanding  officer  shall  accom- 
pany troops  in  an  engagement,  whose  duty  it  will  be  to 
put  an  end  to  the  agonies  of  all  horses  or  mules  that  in 
his  judgment  are  suffering  to  a  degree  requiring  such 
action  on  his  part." 

But  General  Miles,  being  backed  by  the  "government" 
at  Washington  in  battling  intemperance  just  about  as 
enthusiastically  as  he  was  in  the  Eagan  scandal,  the  evil 
was  allowed  fullest  license,  as  can  be  seen  by  the  follow- 
ing from  the  editor  of  the  Wine  and  Spirit  News,  who 
wrote  of  the  "enterprising  proportions"  which  the  "liquor 
business"  had  reached  in  Manila  a  little  later,  as  follows : 

"There  are  300  licensed  places  in  the  city  where  liquors 
may  be  obtained,  licenses  costing  $3  per  year.  The  in- 
come of  the  largest,  the  Alhambra,  is  stated  on  good 
authority  to  be  $700  per  night.  Already  the  street-cars 
are  topped  with  large  signs  detailing  the  exquisite  qual- 
ities of  certain  whiskies.  One  quarter  of  the  daily  issue 
of  the  principal  English  newspaper  published  is  devoted 
to  extolling  the  perfection  of  a  brand  of  beer,  while  the 
largest  drug  store  in  town  devotes  a  whole  column  to 
advertising  its  fine  line  of  liquors,  with  no  mention  of  its 
medicines." 

Since  that  time  it  has  been  sweeping  on  with  our  great 
American  schemes  of  civilization,  dealing  out  death  and 
destruction  in  its  diabolical  business. 


AMERICAN  CIVILIZATION  IN  LUZON.  79 

The  following,  from  the  New  York  Evening  Post, 
explains  the  situation: 

''Clearly  the  power  that  can  tax  or  regulate  the  liquor 
traffic  by  military  order  could  suppress  it.  Having  abso- 
lute authority  it  might  be  supposed  that  our  Methodist 
President  would  at  least  go  as  far  as  Colonial-Secretary 
Chamberlain  in  trying  to  stamp  out  the  rum  trade  in 
^*  otant  dependencies.  But  the  good  Mr.  McKinley  will 
explain  to  the  anxious  temperance  workers  that  he  is 
not  a  free  agent  in  this  matter.  In  the  first  place,  he 
needs  the  license  money.  The  Philippine  venture  is  cost- 
ing a  pretty  penny,  and  there  must  be  something  to  show- 
on  the  right  of  the  ledger.  Then  the  dear  ladies  must 
not  forget  that  the  brewers  are  our  most  ardent  expan- 
sionists. Beer  is  now  our  leading  export  to  Manila.  To 
do  anything  to  cut  off  that  trade  would  enrage  the  brew- 
ers and  seriously  injure  the  RepubHcan  party  in  the  presi- 
dential campaign.  Would  not  the  Woman's  Christian 
Temperance  Union  and  the  churches  rather  have  beer 
and  whisky  flowing  like  water  in  Manila  than  do  any- 
thing to  imperil  President  McKinley's  reelection?" 

The  New  York  Herald  explains  still  further: 

"At  a  conference  of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temper- 
ance Union,  called  yesterday  in  the  Broadway  Taber- 
nacle, Thirty-fourth  street  and  Broadway,  Mrs.  Lillian 
M.  N.  Stevens,  national  president,  reported  on  the  re- 
sult of  her  conference  with  President  McKinley  the  day 
before  on  the  anti-canteen  law.  Mrs.  Stevens  said  she 
had  spoken  on  this  law  from  Maine  to  California,  and 
had  found  the  sentiment  of  the  country  for  it.  This  she 
told  the  President  when  she  protested  against  its  nulli- 
fication by  the  decision  of  the  attorney-general.  T  told 
the  President,'  she  said,  'that  as  commander-in-chief  of 
the  army,  the  people  looked  to  him  to  aid  them  in  mak- 
ing this  righteous  law  of  force,  but  he  said  he  must  abide 
by  the  decision  of  the  attorney-general.  We  asked  if 
that  decision  was  final,  and  he  said  yes.  We  told  the 
President  that  public  sentiment,had  never  been  so  roused 
for  anything  except  in  the  Roberts  case,  and  he  said  if 


8o         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Congress  enacted  a  plain  anti-canteen  law  his  branch 
of  the  government  would  do  its  best  to  carry  it  out." 

The  following  from  the  National  Advocate  brings  out 
a  most  pitiful  part  of  the  programme : 

"A  brief  item  appeared  ifi  the  daily  papers  recently 
stating  that  the  war  department  had  received  an  order 
from  General  Otis  at  Manila  for  i,ooo  pairs  of  handcuflfs 
and  200  pairs  of  leg  shackles.  What  for?  it  is  asked.  For 
insane  American  soldiers  at  Manila.  The  item  did  not 
surprise  us.  We  were  prepared  for  it.  A  few  weeks  ago 
there  sat  in  our  office  an  officer  who  came  on  from  Manila 
in  a  transport  with  some  200  insane  soldiers  who  are 
now  in  San  Francisco.  A  few  days  ago  we  were  shown 
the  picture  of  some  other  insane  soldiers  who  were  then 
transferred  to  the  hospital  at  Washington.  'Drink  and 
dissipation/  said  this  officer,  'with  the  warm  climate, 
caused  insanity  in  nearly  every  case.'  A  chaplain  writ- 
ing from  Manila  says  the  cursed  American  saloon  is  at 
the  bottom  of  many  a  soldier's  insanity.  As  the  cHmate 
cannot  be  changed,  but  the  drink  can  be  removed,  why 
not  remove  it?" 

Dr.  Crane  of  Boston  brought  the  truth  out  in  The  New 
York  World  with  great  effect,  as  follows : 

"The  wrong  we  Methodists  charge  to  the  President, 
and  for  which  he  must  answer,  is  not  simply  that  he 
supports  the  canteen  and  permits  the  saloon  in  Manila 
— and  he  alone  is  responsible  for  its  existence  there — but 
that  wrong  consists  in  this :  He  nullifies  the  law  of  Con- 
gress by  which  the  canteen  is  abolished ;  he  does  this  not 
in  a  manly,  straightforward  way  by  a  veto,  but  by  a  char- 
acteristic shuffle,  hiding  behind  the  absurd  construction 
of  the  law  by  Attorney-General  Griggs.  The  President, 
Mr.  Griggs,  and  the  editor  of  the  World,  all  know  that 
the  Griggs  decision  is  nonsense.  In  fact,  the  Washington 
Sentinel,  the  liquor  dealers'  organ,  says:  'Attorney-Gen- 
eral Griggs  has  adopted  an  evasion  submitted  by  the 
attorneys  of  the  liquor  dealers.'  This  truckling  to  the 
liquor  dealers,  even  to  the  nullification  of  a  just  law,  is 
that  which  has  aroused  the  Methodists  of  the  nation." 


AMERICAN   CIVILIZATION   IN  LUZON.  8i 

We  have  refrained  from  quoting  the  reHgious  press, 
fearing  it  might  look  like  sectarianism,  but  this  we  clip 
from  an  organ  of  the  President's  own  denomination, 
"The  Pennsylvania  Methodists:" 

*'My  office  has  overlooked  for  more  than  a  year  the 
d?'  J  procession  of  soldier  boys,  dragged  by  the  police 
trom  the  jail  to  the  mayor's  office,  and  back  to  jail  again 
for  a  term,  for  no  more  grave  offense  than  drunkenness, 
many  of  them  having  taken  their  first  glass  in  a  McKinley 
canteen.  When  the  war  is  over  they  will  go  to  their 
homes  to  trample  upon  the  hearts  of  father  and  mother, 
or  wife  and  children;  or  possibly  by  the  thousand  they 
will  swell  the  great  army  of  tramps,  already  a  disgrace 
to  our  civilization.  The  sight  has  wrung  tears  from  eyes 
unused  to  tears.  Our  mission  board  has  put  the  stamp 
of  its  approval  on  all  this  as  'gentlemanly,'  'Christian,' 
'patriotic,'  'God-fearing.'  Let  me  say  to  the  reader,  come 
and  see  what  I  have  seen  and  your  blood  will  boil  as 
my  blood  is  boiling  now.  If  it  were  otherwise,  I  should 
despise  myself." 

By  truckling  to  the  liquor  traffic  in  the  Philippines,  our 
government  was  guilty  of  shedding  the  first  blood  of  our 
Philippine  war. 

By  the  debauchery  resultant  therefrom  the  Filipinos 
were  disgusted,  and  by  the  accompanying  insults  and 
injuries  were  rightfully  indignant. 

The  American  saloon  as  the  advance  guard  of  Ameri- 
can civilization,  was  justification  for  resisting  American 
encroachments,  entire. 

Our  government  has  betrayed  the  best  interests  of 
our  soldiers,  the  sacred  trust  of  the  welfare  of  the  Fili- 
pinos, and  the  noblest  sentiments  of  our  country,  to  mur- 
derous greed,  the  motive  power  of  "criminal  aggression." 

Two  years  after  the  advent  of  the  American  army  in 
the  Philippines  the  facts  are  these,  as  vouched  for  by  Mr. 


82         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

William  E.  Johnson  in  The  New  Voice  of  August  30, 
1900: 

"There  are  to-day  1,109  places  in  the  city  of  Manila 
where  intoxicating  liquor  is  openly  and  publicly  on  sale, 
without  counting  any  situated  in  alleys  or  the  hundreds 
of  blind  pigs.  Of  these  1,109  places,  103  are  full  Amer- 
ican bars  *  *  *  seventy-five  beer  houses,  bottle 
houses  and  liquor  selling  grocery  stores.  Then  about 
175  of  the  brothels  have  a  wine  and  beer  license.  *  *  * 
There  are  a  multitude  of  alleys,  peep  holes  and  dark  places 
where  liquor  is  sold  after  the  blind  pig  fashion.  *  *  =i= 
So  far  as  the  vino  selling  native  and  Chinese  "shacks" 
are  concerned,  I  do  not  believe  that  my  figures  include 
half  of  them."  Referring  to  the  licenses  for  these  native 
shacks,  Mr.  Johnson  says,  "These  licenses  are  not  old 
Spanish  licenses,  but  bear  dates  of  this  year,  and  are 
signed  by  Lieutenant  Bishop,  head  of  the  Hcensing 
department.  They  cost  three  pesos  ($1.50)  per  year." 
*  *  *  "This  does  not  include  the  saloons  opened  in 
other  cities,  or  the  200  canteens  scattered  about  the 
islands." 

Mr.  Johnson,  after  giving  the  figures  from  an  official 
report,  says:  "From  this  official  report  it  appears  that, 
during  the  first  ten  months  of  the  American  occupation, 
about  twice  as  much  liquor  was  imported  into  the  Phil- 
ippines as  in  the  other  two  years  combined"  (1893  and 
1894,  before  the  rebellion). 

Of  the  only  brewery  ever  operated  in  the  Philippines, 
Mr.  Johnson  writes  that,  "The  business  had  increased 
500  per  cent  within  the  past  two  years,"  as  certified  to 
by  its  superintendent. 

Summing  up  this  matter  in  The  New  Voice  of  Septem- 
ber 6,  1900,  Mr.  Johnson  says:  "In  brief,  this  is  the  net 
result  of  this  flood  of  rum  among  the  troops:  During 
the  American  occupation,  some  60,000  American  soldiers 
have  been  in  the  hospitals.  One  of  the  chief  surgeons  of 
the  First  Reserve  Hospital  tells  me  that  of  all  of  these 


AMERICAN  CIVILIZATION   IN   LUZON.  83 

cases,  twenty-five  per  cent  or  15,000  were  caused  directly 
by  drink.  This  estimate  is  corroborated  by  another  of 
the  physicians  of  the  same  hospital." 

Referring  to  the  insane  cases,  Mr.  Johnson  adds  in  the 
same  *  oue  of  The  New  Voice  this  sad  statement: 

"The  head  of  a  department  in  the  First  Reserve  Hos- 
pital, who  is  familiar  with  the  insane  cases, — and  nearly 
all  of  these  cases  go  through  the  hospital  before  being 
sent  to  the  States — tells  me  that  they  have  shipped  from 
five  to  thirty  lunatic  soldiers  home  on  every  transport 
which  has  sailed  since  the  occupation,  and  that  nearly 
every  case  was  caused  directly  by  liquor.  Taking  the 
average  of  this  official's  estimate  and  multiplying  it  by  the 
number  of  transports  which  have  sailed,  we  have  a  total 
of  about  900  lunatic  soldiers  who  have  been  shipped 
home  to  the  States,  nearly  all  made  crazy  by  drink." 

If  these  were  the  worst  features  of  the  PhiHppine  In- 
famy it  would  be  bad  enough,  but  they  are  not,  sad  to 
say,  as  Mr.  Johnson  writes  in  The  New  Voice  of  August 
16,  1900: 

''Newspaper  men  and  officials  estimate  that  there  are 
from  five  to  six  hundred  opium  dens  in  Manila.  There 
are  no  means  available  for  ascertaining  the  true  number. 
*  *  *  With  one  or  two  exceptions  the  proprietors  of 
these  opium  hells  have  slave  girls  upstairs  whom  they 
rent  for  immoral  purposes.  In  most  cases  the  upstairs 
consists  of  but  a  single  room.  Whatever  is  done  in  this 
room  takes  place  before  from  three  to  a  dozen  spectators. 
It  is  an  orgy  of  lust,  indescribable,  unspeakably  frightful. 
Further  than  this,  many  of  these  opium  joints  have  a 
Chinese  gambling  room  in  the  rear." 

These  dens  of  infamy,  where  girls  are  held  as  slaves 
for  legalized  rape,  are  licensed  by  the  American  military 
tyranny  as  saloons  along  with  the  brothels. 

In  The  New  Voice  of  August  23,  1900,  Mr.  Johnson 
says : 

''During  the  first  year  of  the  American  occupation 


84         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT   THE  PHILIPPINES. 

eight  hundred  (800)  prostitutes  came  to  Manila."  ''Not 
a  prostitute  can  land  in  Manila  without  the  express  per- 
mission of  the  United  States  military  authorities."  But, 
he  adds:  "Women  of  this  class  who  pay  a  'tip'  of  $50 
to  the  custom  house  officers  find  no  difficulty  in  getting 
ashore.  The  best  information  that  I  can  get  in  connec- 
tion with  newspaper  men,  police  reporters  and  officials 
is  that  there  are  now  about  200  regularly  licensed  houses 
of  prostitution  in  the  city.  In  these  establishments  there 
are  about  600  prostitutes  who  are  under  the  direct  con- 
trol of  the  military  authorities,  who  represent  American 
Christian  civilization  here.  This  does  not  include  the 
swarms  of  loose  women  who  have  rooms  and  who  prowl 
about  the  streets.  It  is  simply  the  list  of  'ladies'  who 
submit  to  a  weekly  examination  by  the  United  States 
military  doctors  and  pay  four  pesos  a  week  for  the  same. 

"The  prostitution  business  of  the  city  is  run  under  the 
supervision  of  a  regular  department  of  the  military  gov- 
ernment, the  Department  of  Municipal  Inspection.  The 
chief  of  this  'department  of  prostitution'  is  Captain  Todd, 
who  has  under  him  a  big  staff  of  assistants,  inspectors, 
doctors,  and  flunkies  of  various  sorts.  This  military 
bawdy  house  department  is  run  on  alleged  scientific  prin- 
ciples. A  most  rigid  system  of  control,  medical  examin- 
ation and  official  inspection  is  in  force,  the  same  system 
which  is  advertised  by  zealots  to  'remove  all  danger  of 
contagion  of  this  sort.'  No  woman  is  allowed  to  open 
an  establishment  of  this  kind  without  express  permission 
of  the  military  authorities  who  dispense  the  blessings  of 
benevolent  assimilation.'  Moreover,  she  is  obliged  to 
take  out  a  wine  and  beer  license  at  a  cost  of  one  hundred 
pesos  every  six  months.  In  addition  to  this,  each  inmate 
is  obliged  to  submit  to  a  medical  examination  once  each 
week  by  the  regularly  authorized  military  physicians,  and 
to  pay  four  pesos  for  each  examination." 

We  can  not  venture  farther  Into  the  details  of  vice  In 
this  volume,  but  those  wishing  fuller  Information  as  to 
this  Iniquity  can  follow  our  references. 

Whole  sections  of  Manila  have  been  forsaken  by  re- 


AMERICAN  CIVILIZATION   IN   LUZON.  85 

spectable  families,  being  ruined  by  the  deluge  of  disso- 
lute women  and  drunken  debauchees. 

A  Germ?'  physician  who  had  spent  years  in  Manila 
under  Spanish  rule,  recently  fled  with  his  family  from 
this  reign  of  rottenness  in  Manila,  saying  when  he 
reached  Chicago  en  route  for  the  east,  that  the  Spanish 
regime  was  awful,  but  the  American  occupation  so  much 
worse  that  he  had  to  leave,  now  referring  to  Manila  as 
"a  hell  hole." 

But  the  blessings  of  American  civilization  are  not  con- 
fined to  Manila,  as  the  other  islands  and  the  Sulu  Archi- 
pelago are  all  being  "pacified." 

In  The  New  Voice  of  August  30,  1900,  Mr.  Johnson 
says:  ''In  the  Sulu  Archipelago  official  houses  of  pros- 
titution have  been  opened  on  the  canteen  plan.  *  *  * 
The  officers  were  afraid  that  the  soldiers  would  get  be- 
yond control  and  make  criminal  assaults  on  the  native 
women  as  they  had  so  frequently  done  in  Luzon  among 
the  Tagals,"  which  would  mean  "a  sure  war." 

Mr.  Johnson,  who  spent  many  months  in  personal 
inspection,  concludes  this  article  thus:  "Of  the  one  hun- 
dred thousand  troops  which  have  been  sent  here  to  civil- 
ize the  natives,  sixty  thousand  have  gone  through  the 
hospitals.  Of  these  sixty  thousand  boys,  ten  thousand 
have  been  stricken  with  infamous  diseases.  Moreover, 
this  diseased  host  of  ten  thousand  soldiers  does  not  in- 
clude thousands  of  others  who  took  private  treatment  of 
local  physicians." 

Mr.  Johnson  informed  the  writer  that  his  personal 
canvass  of  Manila,  occupied  him  for  weeks,  during  which 
he  rode  or  walked  hundreds  of  miles. 

In  the  course  of  the  conversation  he  incidentally  re- 
marked being  taken  by  native  detectives  to  see  a  house 
of  ill-fame  which  was  owned  by  the  friars  and  had  been 


86         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

run,  as  the  officers  informed  him,  for  eight  years,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  priests. 

He  said  it  was  on  "Calle  Rosario,  near  the  Escolta — 
there  yet" — if  any  one  challenged  his  accuracy. 

As  there  were  only  a  few  priests  in  at  the  time,  the 
detectives  left  them  alone  then,  as  they  were  ''laying  for 
a  big  haul,"  as  he  put  it,  so  this  house  hardly  seems  to 
be  under  the  supervision  of  the  "Department  of  Munici- 
pal Inspection." 

We  now  turn  to  Messrs.  Sargent  and  Wilcox's  report. 


CHAPTER  XL 
PEACEFUL  BUT  PATRIOTIC. 

In  one  of  his  articles  in  "The  Outlook"  Mr.  Sargent 
states:  "Some  years  ago,  at  an  exhibition  held  at  Bar- 
celona^ Spain,  a  man  and  woman  were  exhibited  as  rep- 
resentative types  of  the  inhabitants  of  Luzon.  The  man 
wore  a  loin  cloth  and  the  woman  a  scant  skirt.  It  was 
evident  that  they  belonged  to  the  lowest  plane  of  sav- 
agery. I  think  no  deeper  wound  was  ever  inflicted  upon 
the  pride  of  the  real  Filipino  population  than  that  caused 
by  this  exhibition,  the  knowledge  of  which  seems  to  have 
spread  throughout  the  island.  The  man  and  the  woman, 
while  actually  natives  of  Luzon,  were  captives  from  a 
tribe  of  wild  Igorrotes  of  the  hills;  a  tribe  as  hostile  to 
the  Filipinos  as  to  the  Spaniards  themselves,  and  equally 
alien  to  both." 

These  poor  barbarians  were  exhibited  in  Spain  for  the 
purpose  of  deluding  the  people  there  into  the  belief  that 
the  Filipinos  were  wild  savages,  utterly  uncivilized  and 
unfit  for  self-government,  so  that  their  rights  should  not 
be  recognized,  and  Spanish  friars,  financiers  and  politi- 
cians should  have  a  free  hand  still  to  rob  and  despoil 


PEACEFUL  BUT  PATRIOTIC  87 

them,  and  for  much  the  same  reason  many  of  the  false- 
hoods since  circulated  are  being  published. 

Referring  to  t^  i-eligious  sentiments  of  those  they  met, 
the  report  states:  'Throughout  the  valley  of  the  Rio 
Grande  the  ordinary  ceremonies  of  worship  were  almost 
entirely  suspended  for  want  of  persons  ordained  to  con- 
duct them.  In  Ilocos  and  Union,  however,  natives  had 
been  promptly  placed  in  the  sacred  offices  left  vacant 
by  the  imprisonment  of  the  Spanish  priests;  and  at  the 
time  of  our  visit  they  were  conducting  all  the  services 
of  the  church.  Freedom  of  thought  marked  the  views 
of  every  Filipino  that  I  have  heard  express  himself  on 
the  subject  of  religion.  Although  I  certainly  have  met 
devout  Catholics  among  them,  I  judge  that  that  church, 
on  account  of  the  abuses  with  which  it  has  been  asso- 
ciated on  the  islands,  has  failed  on  the  whole  to  secure  an 
exclusive  hold  on  the  minds  of  the  natives." 

Speaking  of  Spanish  prisoners,  including  priests,  sol- 
diers and  civil  officials,  the  report  states :  "We  have  seen 
representatives  of  each  of  these  three  classes  in  these 
towns.  We  could  detect  no  signs  of  previous  ill  treat- 
ment, nor  of  undue  restriction.  On  the  contrary,  they 
appeared  to  possess  the  freedom  of  the  town  in  which 
they  lived."  Of  one  place  it  says:  "There  are  no  Span- 
iards here,  with  the  exception  of  two  or  three  merchants. 
One  of  these  we  have  met.  He  is  pursuing  his  business 
entirely  unmolested."    (See  Par.  43.) 

This  report,  endorsed  as  it  is  by  Admiral  Dewey,  ought 
to  be  a  sufficient  rebuke  to  those  who  have  vilified  the 
Filipinos  for  brutality  to  their  prisoners. 

The  fact  that  Spanish  merchants  were  permitted  to 
continue  their  business  in  peace  and  prosperity  during 
their  war  with  Spain  is  proof  of  their  humanity. 

Those  who  question  or  cavil  at  this  statement  we  will 


88  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE   PHILIPPINES. 

refer  to  Admiral  Dewey's  unqualified  official    endorse- 
ment and  his  own  official  statements  by  cable. 
But  to  resume  with  Mr.  Sargent's  statements: 

'Throughout  the  island  a  thirst  for  knowledge  is  man- 
ifested, and  an  extravagant  respect  for  those  who  pos- 
sess it.  I  have  seen  a  private  native  citizen  in  a  town 
in  the  interior  exercise  a  more  powerful  influence  than 
all  the  native  officials  over  the  minds  of  the  inhabitants, 
simply  because  he  was  known  to  have  been  educated  in 
the  best  schools  at  Manila,  and  was  regarded  for  that 
reason  as  a  superior  man.  The  heroes  of  these  people 
are  not  heroes  of  war,  but  of  science  and  invention. 
Without  rival,  the  American  who  is  best  known  by  repu- 
tation in  Luzon  is  Mr.  Edison,  and  any  native  with  the 
slightest  pretension  to  education  whom  you  may  ques- 
tion on  the  subject  will  take  delight  in  reciting  a  list  of 
his  achievements.  The  ruHng  Filipinos,  during  the  ex- 
istence of  their  provisional  government,  appreciated  the 
necessity  of  providing  public  schools  to  be  accessible  to 
the  poorest  inhabitants. 

"We  heard  many  tales,  and  were  in  a  position  to  au- 
thenticate them  to  a  great  extent,  of  deeds  that  told  in 
glowing  terms  of  the  endurance,  and  courage  the  Filipinos 
could  display  when  impelled  by  a  sufficient  motive.  Tlie 
revolution  in  Luzon  Island  was  by  no  means  a  simulta- 
neous uprising  of  the  population,  and  in  its  early  stages 
the  force  that  opposed  the  Spanish  power  was  not  over- 
whelming in  its  numbers.  In  the  provinces  far  in  the  in- 
terior particularly  the  earlier  encounters  found  the  ad- 
vantage in  the  hands  of  the  Spaniards,  whose  opponents 
were  but  small  bands  of  the  most  daring  and  desperate 
natives  of  the  vicinity,  poorly  armed,  and  entirely  without 
organization  or  discipline. 

"Yet  these  pioneers  of  rebellion  did  win  brilliant  and 
surprising  victories,  and  by  their  success  encouraged 
their  more  timid  neighbors  to  join  their  fortunes  to  the 
cause.     *     *     * 

"At  the  time  of  our  journey  the  patriotic  enthusiasm 
of  the  population  was  everywhere  at  its  height.  The 
boast  of  every  inhabitant  was  the  national  army,  whose 


CADET  SARGENT'S  REPORT.         89 

organization  was  then  being  rapidly  perfected.  Commis- 
sions were  eagerly  so^'  ^^ht  by  the  young  men  of  the  high- 
er class,  and  there  .^ere  more  volunteers  for  service  in 
the  ranks  than  could  be  armed  or  uniformed.  It  was  uni- 
versally asserted  that  every  preparation  should  be  made 
to  defend  the  newly  won  independence  of  the  island 
against  all  foreign  aggression.  The  older  Filipinos, 
especially  those  of  wealth  and  influence,  declared  their 
desire  to  give  every  support  in  their  power  to  the  cause, 
and  were  as  much  a  part  of  the  warlike  movement  as 
those  who  actually  took  up  arms. 

"That  the  civil  power  should  be  placed  in  the  same 
hands  was  a  dangerous  experiment,  but  at  the  same  time 
a  necessary  one.  The  first  object  of  the  Filipinos  had 
been  to  win  their  independence;  the  next  was  to  defend 
it.  For  both  these  purposes  they  had  need  of  their  best 
fighting  material,  and  the  selection  was  made  accordingly. 
The  result  proved  more  fortunate  than  there  had  been 
reason  to  hope.  While  exercising  absolute  authority 
throughout  the  island  and  governing  entirely  by  military 
law,  the  leaders  ©f  the  army  appeared,  nevertheless,  to 
endeavor  to  mete  out  justice  to  all  classes  alike. 

"They  continued,  moreover,  to  assert  their  intention  to 
relinquish  their  temporary  power  when  the  establishment 
of  a  permanent  peace  should  make  such  a  step  possible, 
and  gave  most  encouraging  proofs  of  the  good  faith 
with  which  they  spoke. 

"On  the  whole,  as  far  as  I  could  judge,  the  tendency 
was  upward.  The  young  officers  displayed  an  earnest 
desire  to  improve  their  minds  for  the  benefit  of  the  state, 
and  seemed  to  be  impelled  by  the  ambition  to  prove 
themselves  worthy  of  the  trust  that  had  been  confided  in 
them." 

Especial  attention  is  asked  to  the  following  passages 
in  this  report^  as  they  go  to  prove  the  truthfulness  of  the 
last,  and  the  good  faith  of  the  military  officials  in  their 
avowed  intention  to  relinquish  their  authority  to  civil 
officials  as  soon  as  peace  made  it  possible,  which  was 
questioned  by  many  skeptical  persons. 


90         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

We  wish  also  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  asserted 
therein,  that  a  native  priest  presided  at  the  official  cere- 
mony described. 

"At  Aparri  we  went  alongside  the  Philippina,  and 
reached  the  wharf  by  crossing  this  vessel.  We  were  met 
on  board  by  Commandante  Leyba,  military  commander 
of  the  province  of  Cagayan.  We  were  taken  to  a  private 
house,  where  we  were  quartered  during  our  stay  at 
Aparri.  Here  we  met  Colonel  Tirona,  commander  of  the 
military  district,  including  the  provinces  of  Nueva  Viz- 
caya,  Isabella,  and  Cagayan.  He  welcomed  us  cordially, 
and  continued  from  that  time  to  treat  us  in  a  very  friendly 
manner.  We  remained  at  Aparri  three  days,  until  the 
departure  of  the  steamer  Oslo,  November  9.    (Par.  41.) 

'The  steamer  Saturnas,  which  had  left  the  harbor  the 
day  before  our  arrival,  brought  news  from  Hongkong 
papers  that  the  Senators  from  the  United  States  at  the 
congress  of  Paris  favored  the  independence  of  the  islands, 
with  an  American  protectorate.  Colonel  Tirona  consid- 
ered the  information  of  sufficient  reHability  to  justify 
him  in  regarding  the  Philippine  independence  as  assured 
and  warfare  in  the  island  at  an  end.  For  this  reason  he 
proceeded  to  relinquish  the  military  command  he  held 
over  the  provinces,  and  to  place  this  power  in  the  hands 
of  a  civil  officer  elected  by  the  people.  On  the  day  fol- 
lowing our  arrival  in  Aparri^  the  ceremony  occurred 
which  solemnized  this  transfer  of  authority  in  the 
province  of  Cagayan.  The  presidentes  locales  of  all  the 
towns  in  the  province  were  present  at  the  ceremony, 
conducted  by  a  native  priest.  After  the  priest  had  re- 
tired Colonel  Tirona  made  a  short  speech,  stating  that, 
since  in  all  probability  permanent  peace  was  at  hand,  it 
became  his  duty  to  relinquish  the  authority  he  had  pre- 
viously held  over  the  province,  and  to  place  it  in  the 
hands  of  a  civil  officer  elected  by  the  people.  He  then 
handed  the  staff  of  office  to  the  man  who  had  been  elected 
'jefe  provincial.'  This  officer  also  made  a  speech,  in 
which  he  thanked  the  disciplined  military  forces  and 
their  colonel  for  the  service  they  had  rendered  the 
province,   and   assured   them   that  the  work  they  had 


INDEPENDENCE  OR  DEATH.  91 

begun  would  be  pei^ctuated  by  the  people  of  the  prov- 
ince, where  every  man,  woman  and  child  stood  ready 
to  take  up  arms  to  defend  their  newly  won  liberty,  and 
to  resist  with  the  last  drop  of  their  blood  the  attempt  of 
any  nation  whatever  to  bring  them  back  to  their  former 
state  of  dependence.  His  speech  was  very  impassioned. 
He  then  knelt,  placed  his  hand  on  an  open  Bible,  and 
took  the  oath  of  office.  He  was  followed  by  the  three 
other  officers  who  constitute  the  provincial  government, 
the  heads  of  the  three  departments — justice,  police,  and 
internal  revenue.  Every  town  in  this  province  has  this 
same  organization.  At  the  time  of  our  departure  Colonel 
Tirona  planned  to  go  within  a  few  days  to  IHgan,  and 
from  there  to  Bayombong,  repeating  this  ceremony  in 
the  capital  city  of  each  province."    (Par.  42.) 


CHAPTER  Xn. 
THE  FILIPINO  NAVY. 

Before  proceeding  further  with  this  report  we  wish  to 
verify  the  statement  herein  made,  that  from  such  men  as 
these  came  the  Freemasons,  Katipunans  and  Filipino 
patriots  who  have  been  and  still  are  fighting  the  fearful 
battle  for  freedom  and  independence. 

Upon  page  422  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  after  re- 
ferring to  Aguinaldo's  arrival  at  Cavite  in  May,  1898, 
Gen.  F.  V.  Greene,  in  his  "Memoranda  concerning  the 
situation  in  the  Philippines  on  August  30,  1898,"  which 
was  included  in  the  evidence  presented  to  the  Paris  Peace 
Commission,  stated: 

''Soon  afterward  two  ships  which  were  the  private 
property  of  Senor  Agoncillo  and  other  insurgent  sympa- 
thizers, were  converted  into  cruisers,  and  sent  with  in- 
surgent troops  to  Subig  Bay  and  other  places  to  capture 
provinces  outside  of  Manila.  They  were  very  successful, 
the  native  militia  in  Spanish  service  capitulating  with 


92         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

their  arms  in  nearly  every  case  without  serious  resist- 
ance." 

In  referring  to  the  formation  of  the  little  Philippine 
navy  which  Admiral  Dewey  quietly  confiscated  without 
warning  after  he  had  finished  using  his  Filipino  friends 
and  was  ready  to  betray  them  for  the  benefit  of  their 
mortal  foes,  the  friars,  who  had  been  "our  common  ene- 
my," Aguinaldo  stated  in  his  official  ''Review  of  the  Phil- 
ippine Revolution": 

"Shortly  after,  the  Spanish  steamer  Compania  de  Fili- 
pinas  arrived  at  Cavite,  having  been  captured  by  the 
revolutionists  in  the  waters  of  Aparri.  This  ship  was  at 
once  provided  with  artillery  and  dispatched  with  troops 
to  Olangapo,  but  I  was  obhged  to  order  another  gunboat 
to  bring  her  back,  at  the  request  of  Admiral  Dewey,  in 
order  to  determine  the  claim  of  the  French  Consul  upon 
this  steamer.  Upon  being  informed  that  the  Compania 
de  Filipinas  had  been  captured  while  flying  the  Spanish 
flag.  Admiral  Dewey  refrained  from  taking  up  the  matter, 
transmitting  to  me  the  letter  of  reclamation  from  the 
French  Consul,  and  declaring  that  he  saw  no  reason  why 
his  forces  should  interfere. 

"Thus  this  incident  ended,  which  demonstrated  clearly 
the  recognition  and  protection  which  Admiral  Dewey 
accorded  to  the  Philippine  revolution. 

"The  Filipinas,  for  such  was  the  name  of  the  steamer 
henceforth,  renewed  her  trip  to  Olangapo  and  on  return- 
ing took  on  board  the  detail  of  troops  sent  to  liberate  the 
provinces  of  the  valley  of  Cagayan  and  the  Batanes  Is- 
lands from  the  power  of  Spain.  This  steamer,  which  aft- 
erward changed  her  name  again  and  is  now  called  Luzon, 
ran  aground  in  the  Rio  Grande  of  Cagayan  and  damaged 
her  machinery,  where  it  can  be  seen  to-day. 

"In  all  the  expeditions,  our  ships,  before  clearing,  sa- 
luted the  Olympia  as  flagship,  fulfilling  thus  the  duties  of 
international  courtesy,  our  salutes  being  replied  to  with 
equal  demonstrations  of  friendship." 

The  New  Orient  of  Manila,  under  date  of  December 


KATIPUNANS  AT  SUBIG  BAY.  93 

30,  1899,  contained  the  following  account  of  the  steamer 
"Filipinas,"  under  censorship  editing: 

*The  steamer  Compania  de  Filipinas,  which  figured 
prominently  in  the  Subig  Bay  muddle,  but  which  has  re- 
cently been  reported  in  the  lost,  strayed  or  stolen  column, 
has  been  found,  concealed  in  the  Cagayan  River,  where 
she  was  deserted  by  Admiral  Vincente  Catalan  of  the  in- 
surgent navy."     *     *     * 

"During  the  period  which  followed  the  taking  of  Ma- 
nila Catalan  led  a  mutiny  while  returning  from  the  port 
of  Aparri.  *  *  *  jl^  placed  the  vessel  under  the 
Katipunan  flag  and  sailed  into  Subig  Bay.  An  unsuc- 
cessful attempt  was  made  by  Catalan  to  have  the  gunboat 
Irene  (German)  recognize  the  flag  the  vessel  flew." 

According  to  all  accounts. of  this  occurrence,  American, 
German  and  Spanish,  the  Irene  interfered  with  the  Fili- 
pino attack,  and,  refusing  to  recognize  her  flag,  fired 
upon  the  Filipinas,  which  withdrew  and  informed  Ad- 
miral Dewey  of  the  trouble,  then  returned  with  flying 
colors,  and  the  United  States  warships  Concord  and 
Raleigh,  while  the  Irene  steamed  away,  and  the  Span- 
iards surrendered  "without  serious  resistanceir" 
,  After  a  few  shots  were  fired  they  raised  the  white  flag, 
and,  according  to  Capt.  Coghlan's  account,  commanding 
the  Raleigh  at  the  time,  the  prisoners,  property  and  place 
were  turned  over  to  the  Filipinos,  unconditionally,  though 
the  Spaniards  are  still  protesting. 

This  is  one  of  the  many  instances  which  illustrate  the 
faithful  co-operation  of  the  Americans  and  Filipinos,  as 
allies,  and  proves  that  the  "Katipunans"  came  to  the  aid 
of  the  Americans  and  acted  as  our  loyal  allies  till  Ad- 
miral Dewey  no  longer  needed  to  "use"  them  as  such. 

Then  he  seized  their  ships,  confiscating  their  little 
navy  without  notice  or  warning  of  any  kind.  This  act  in 
itself  was  surely  as  hostile  as  any  declaration  of  war  or 
attack  could  possibly  be. 


94         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Yet  the  first  Philippine  Commissioners,  in  their  prelim- 
inary report  claiming  that  there  were  no  overtures  upon 
our  part  for  co-operation,  said: 

*'Nor  was  there  any  co-operation  of  any  kind  between 
the  contending  respective  forces,  and  the  relations  be- 
tween them  were  strained  from  the  beginning." 

Of  this  interesting  episode  Admiral  Dewey  sent  the 
following  official  report  by  cable,  which  was  given  out  by 
the  Washington  government  July  13,  '98: 

"Aguinaldo  informs  me  his  troops  have  taken  all 
of  Subig  Bay  except  Isla  Grande,  which  he  was  pre- 
vented from  taking  by  the  German  man-of-war  Irene. 
On  July  7  the  Raleigh  and  Concord  went  there;  they  took 
the  island  and  about  1,300  men,  with  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion. No  resistance.  The  Irene  retired  from  the  bay  on 
their  arrival.     *     *     * — Dewey." 

According  to  an  Associated  Press  dispatch  of  that 
same  date  the  commander  of  the  Irene  explained  that  he 
had  interfered  under  the  usual  subterfuge  "in  the  cause 
of  humanity."  Of  this  occurrence  Mr.  McCutcheon  sent 
to  the  Chicago  Record  the  following  special  cable: 

"A  Spanish  garrison  in  a  fort  on  Isla  Grande,  in  Subig 
Bay,  was  compelled  to  surrender  to  the  Americans  last 
Wednesday  by  the  Raleigh  and  Concord,  which  were  sent 
against  it  by  Admiral  Dewey. 

"The  incidents  leading  up  to  the  capture  were  quite 
remarkable.  Some  weeks  ago  the  Spaniards  on  the  island 
had  been  driven  thither  for  refuge  by  the  furious  attacks 
of  the  insurgents  on  the  mainland.  There  they  had 
maintained  themselves  successfully.  On  July  5,  however, 
the  insurgents  captured  the  Spanish  steamer  Filipinas, 
near  Subig  Bay,  killing  four  of  the  ship's  officers  during 
the  fight.  The  Filipinas  was  turned  over  to  the  insurgent 
army,  which  straightway  converted  it  into  a  warship  and 
used  it  in  an  attempt  to  capture  the  Spanish  garrison  on 
the  Isla  Grande. 

**Soon,  however,  the  insurgent  ship  came  in  from  Subig 


CO-OPERATION.  95 

Bay  to  Manila  Bay  with  a  tale  of  woe  for  the  ear  of  Ad- 
miral Dewey.  The  German  warship  Irene  had  interfered 
to  prevent  it  from  capturing  the  Spaniards  and  was  still 
in  Subig  Bay  to  protect  the  garrison.  Thereupon  Ad- 
miral Dewey  sent  the  Raleigh  and  Concord  to  take  the 
fort  on  the  Isla  Grande.  Arriving  before  it  the  Raleigh 
fired  some  shots  at  the  fort,  but  did  no  damage.  How- 
ever, the  garrison  promptly  surrendered  to  the  Ameri- 
cans. The  Irene  was  in  the  bay  at  the  time,  but  had 
nothing  to  say  about  the  capture.  At  the  fort  were  400 
Spanish  soldiers  with  arms,  100  sick  and  100  women. 

'These  prisoners  will  be  turned  over  to  Gen.  Aguin- 
aldo  by  the  Americans  under  the  promise  that  they  will 
receive  good  treatment."  *  *  * — ^John  T.  McCutch- 
eon. 

Though  the  incidents  in  this  case  have  become  historic, 
even  to  the  turning  over  of  our  Spanish  prisoners  by  the 
Americans  to  the  tender  mercies  of  our  Filipino  alHes, 
whom  the  American  mercenaries  now  call  ''savages,  cut- 
throats," and  countless  other  abominable  names, 
yet,  notwithstanding  this,  the  first  American  Philip- 
pine Commission  declared  in  their  preliminary  report, 
strange  to  relate:  "There  never  were  any  preconcerted 
operations  or  any  combined  movement  by  the  United 
States  and  Filipinos  against  the  Spaniards." 

Comment  seems  superfluous,  but  to  make  the  best  of  it, 
and  suppose  that  the  otjier  commissioners  did  not  know 
what  was  done  at  that  time  and  place,  how  could  we  say 
this  for  Admiral  Dewey  who  directed  operations  then 
and  there  as  commander  of  the  American  fleet?  If  igno- 
rantly  they  rendered  a  false  report  upon  a  matter  of  such 
overwhelming  importance  to  millions  of  immortal  souls, 
their  guilt  is  almost,  if  not  altogether,  as  great  as  though 
they  knowingly  falsified  the  facts  in  the  case,  as  they 
could  have  ascertained  the  truth. 

May  God  have  mercy  on  America,  and  upon  those 


96  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

who,  we  believe,  wish  to  be  great  and  good  men,  who 
have  been  misled  and  have  misled  our  land  of  liberty 
from  the  highway  of  freedom  and  the  plain  path  of  duty 
into  those  despotic  ways  of  old  from  which  He  led  our 
forefathers  long  ago,  and  from  which  they  fought  so  val- 
iantly to  deliver  themselves  and  their  descendants,  as  the 
Filipinos  are  fighting  to-day. 

Long  before  the  report  of  Messrs.  Sargent  and  Wilcox 
was  made  Aguinaldo  had  written  to  President  McKinley 
a  letter,  to  be  found  on  pages  360-1  of  Senate  document 
No.  62,  in  part  as  follows: 

''You  well  know  that  if  God  favors  the  triumph  of 
your  arms  tO-day,  to-morrow  he  may  defeat  them."  *  *  -^ 
"A  people  *  *  '^^  thoroughly  civilized,  as  nearly  two- 
thirds  of  them  can  read  and  write,  and  as  they  have  in 
their  midst  many  men  of  high  attainments  in  the  sciences 
and  arts,  should  not  be  sold  as  if  it  were  a  lamb  to  be  ex- 
ploited for  the  greed  of  another  nation.  *^  *  *  ^ 
people  which  trusts  blindly  in  you  not  to  abandon  it  to 
the  tyranny  of  Spain,  but  to  leave  it  free  and  independent, 
even  if  you  make  peace  with  Spain,  and  I  offer  fervent 
prayers  for  the  ever-increasing  prosperity  of  your  power- 
ful nation,  to  which  and  to  you  I  shall  show  unbounded 
gratitude,  and  shall  repay  with  interest  that  great  obli- 
gation. Your  humble  servant, 

''Emilio  Aguinaldo." 

So  blindly  were  they  trusting  us,  according  to  this  re- 
port, which  bears  Admiral  Dewey's  official  endorsement 
for  reliability,  that  even  then,  November  9,  1898,  the  mil- 
itary commander  of  that  province  was  relinquishing  his 
authority  and  handing  the  reins  of  government  over  to 
the  civil  officials  duly  elected  by  the  people,  because  they 
believed  the  reports  of  the  Hong  Kong  paperg,  which 
stated  that  "the  Senators  from  the  United  States  at  the 
congress  of  Paris  favored  the  independence  of  the  islands 
with  an  American  protectorate."    (Par.  42.) 


AN  INTELLIGENT  DEMOCRACY.  97 

The  statement  in  paragraph  41  that  *'at  Aparri  we  went 
alongside  the  PhiHppinas,  and  reached  the  wharf  by 
crossing  this  vessel,  which  was  the  *Filipinas,'  which  flew 
the  Katipunan  flag  at  Subig  Bay,  shows  the  insurgents 
in  this  section  to  have  been  Katipunans,  as  we  have 
claimed." 

We  will  now  resume  with  paragraph  53  of  this  report. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

AN  INTELLIGENT  DEMOCRACY. 

'The  Philippine  officers,  both  military  and  civil,  that 
we  have  met  in  all  the  provinces  that  we  have  visited 
have,  with  very  few  exceptions,  been  men  of  intelligent 
appearance  and  conversation.  The  same  is  true  of  all 
those  men  who  form  the  upper  class  in  each  town.  The 
education  of  most  of  them  is  limited,  but  they  appear 
to  seize  every  opportunity  to  improve  it.  They  have 
great  respect  and  admiration  for  learning.  Very  many 
of  them  desire  to  send  their  children  to  schools  in  the 
United  States  or  Europe.  Many  men  of  importance  in 
different  towns  have  told  us  that  the  first  use  to  be  made 
of  the  revenue  of  their  government,  after  there  is  no 
more  danger  of  war,  will  be  to  start  good  schools  in  every 
village.  The  poorer  classes  are  extremely  ignorant  on 
most  subjects,  but  a  large  percentage  of  them  can  read 
and  write.    (Par.  53.) 

"In  the  provinces  of  Nueva  Icija,  Nueva  Vizcaya,  Isa- 
bella, and  Cagayan  the  native  priests  have  no  voice  what- 
ever in  civil  matters.  The  Catholic  church  itself  seems 
to  have  very  little  hold  on  the  people  of  these  provinces. 
Many  men  have  expressed  to  us  their  preference  for  the 
Protestant  church.  In  Ilocos  Sur  and  Union  there  are 
many  more  priests  than  in  the  other  provinces  mentioned. 
Every  pueblo  and  barrio«has  its  cura,  and  there  are  higher 
officers  of  the  church  in  the  larger  towns.  They  appear 
to  have  an  important  influence  in  all  civil  matters. 
(Par.  56.) 

"Of  the  large  number  of  oiificers,  civil  and  military, 


98         THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

and  of  leading  townspeople  we  have  met,  nearly  every 
man  has  expressed  in  our  presence  his  sentiment  on  this 
question.  It  is  universally  the  same.  They  all  declare 
they  will  accept  nothing  short  of  independence.  They 
desire  the  protection  of  the  United  States  at  sea,  but 
fear  any  interference  on  land.  The  question  of  the  re- 
muneration of  our  Government  for  the  expense  of 
establishing  a  protectorate  is  never  touched  upon.  On 
the  subject  of  independence  there  is  again  a  marked 
difference  between  the  four  provinces  first  visited  and 
those  of  Ilocos  Sur  and  Union.  In  the  former  there  is 
more  enthusiasm,  the  sentiment  is  more  of  the  people; 
in  the  latter  it  is  more  of  the  higher  class  and  of  the 
army."    (Par.  57.) 

To  the  foregoing  testimony  we  could  add  almost  any 
amount  in  confirmation,  but  will  turn  to  official  reports 
for  verification. 

The  official  report  of  the  first  Philippine  Commission 
contains  the  following  plain  statements  upon  pages  119 
and  120: 

"The  Commission,  while  not  underrating  the  difficulty 
of  governing  the  Philippines^  is  disposed  to  believe  the 
task  easier  than  is  generally  supposed.  For  this  confi- 
dence *  *  *  j^  j^j^g  ^j^g  following  among  other 
grounds:  First — The  study  by  educated  Filipinos  of 
the  various  examples  of  constitutional  government,  has 
resulted  in  their  selection,  as  best  adapted  to  the  condi- 
tions and  character  of  the  various  people  inhabiting  the 
archipelago,  of  almost  precisely  the  political  institutions 
and  arrangements  which  have  been  worked  out  in  prac- 
tice by  the  American  people;  and  these  are  also,  though 
less  definitely  apprehended,  the  political  ideas  of  the 
masses  of  the  Philippine  people  themselves. 

"This  point  has  been  frequently  illustrated  in  the  course 
of  the  preceding  exposition,  and  it  must  here  suffice  to 
say  that  the  Commission  was  constantly  surprised  by  the 
harmony  subsisting  between  the  rights,  privileges,  and 
institutions  enjoyed  by  Americans,  and  the  reforms  de- 
sired by  the  best  Filipinos. 


AN  INTELLIGENT  DEMOCRACY.  99 

"Secondly — In  addition  to  the  adaptation  of  the  Amer- 
ican form  of  government  to  the  Fihpinos,  the  FiUpinos 
themselves  are  of  unusually  promising  material.  They 
possess  admirable  personal  and  domestic  virtues;  and 
though  they  are  uncontrollable  v^hen  such  elemental  pas- 
sions as  jealousy,  revenge,  or  resentment  are  once 
aroused,  most  of  them,  practically  all  of  the  civilized 
inhabitants  of  Luzon  and  the  Visayas,  are  naturally  and 
normally  peaceful,  docile,  and  deferential  to  constituted 
authority.  On  the  suppression  of  the  insurrection,  the 
great  majority  of  them  will  be  found  to  be  good,  law- 
abiding  citizens.  Thirdly — Though  the  majority  of  the 
inhabitants  are  uneducated,  they  evince  a  strong  desire 
to  be  instructed,  and  the  example  of  Japan  is  with  them 
a  cherished  ideal  of  the  value  of  education.  A  system  of 
free  schools  for  the  people,  another  American  institution, 
it  will  be  noted,  has  been  an  important  element  in  every 
Philippine  program  of  reforms.  Fourthly — The  edu- 
cated Filipinos,  though  constituting  a  minority,  are  far 
more  numerous  than  is  generally  supposed,  and  are  scat- 
tered all  over  the  archipelago;  and  the  Commission  de- 
sires to  bear  the  strongest  testimony  to  the  high  range 
of  their  intelligence,  and  not  only  to  their  intellectual 
training,  but  also  to  their  social  refinement  as  well  as  to 
the  grace  and  charm  of  their  personal  character.  These 
educated  Filipinos,  in  a  word,  are  the  equals  of  the  men 
one  meets  in  similar  vocations — law,  medicine,  business, 
etc., — in  Europe  or  America." 

Upon  page  loi  is  the  following  statement: 
'The   Filipinos   to-day   (always     excepting   the    Sulu 
groups  and  parts  of  Mindanao)  are  a  pure  democracy 
without  distinctions  of  birth  or  rank;   a  mass  of  people 
without  hereditary  chieftains  or  rulers." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
SULU   SAVAGERY. 
To  bring  the  facts  in  the  case  clearly  to  view  we  must 
present  the  opposite  picture  of  it. 


lOO       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

President  Schurman  of  the  first  Philippine  Commission 
also  said  of  the  natives  of  the  Sulu  Archipelago  and 
Moro  subjects  of  the  Sultanate: 

'They  are     *     *     *     powerful,   religious  fanatics     * 

*  *  who  care  nothing  for  death,  and  believe  that  the 
road  to  heaven  can  be  attained  by  killing  Christians." 

Gen.  E.  S.  Otis,  in  his  official  report  of  August  31, 
1899,  upon  the  157th  page,  states  that  "The  Sultan's  gov- 
ernment is  one  of  perfect  despotism,  in  form  at  least. 

*  *  *  The  Moro  political  fabric  bears  resemblance 
to  the  state  of  feudal  times — the  Sultan  exercising  su- 
preme power  by  divine  right,"  life  or  death  of  any  under 
him  being  subject  to  his  caprice. 

Article  3  of  the  treaty  with  the  Sultan  provides  that 
"All  their  religious  customs  shall  be  respected,"  which  in- 
cludes among  some  tribes  horrible  human  sacrifices. 

Some  of  these  are  nature  worshipers,  who  enslave 
captives  taken  in  tribal  conflicts,  and  sacrifice  them  to 
appease  their  demon  deities  when  in  trouble. 

But  this  being  a  "religious  ceremony,"  like  the  Mo- 
hammedan "juramentado,"  when  a  fanatical  Mohamme- 
dan goes  forth  to  kill  every  Christian  he  can  run  amuck 
of,  must  of  course  "be  respected"  by  the  highly  civilized, 
enlightened  and  humane  government  at  Washington, 
which  would  seem  to  know  no  law  except  that  of  the  al- 
mighty dollar,  expediency  and  duplicity. 

The  loth  article  of  this  treaty  allowing  human  slavery 
in  the  Sulu  Archipelago,  contrary  to  the  13th  Amend- 
ment of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  which  pro- 
hibits slavery  in  the  United  States  or  "any  place  subject 
to  their  jurisdiction,"  shows  that  such  trifles  as  the  Con- 
stitution of  our  country  are  of  no  account  to  our  present 
"rulers." 


CLAES   ERICSSON'S   ACCOUNT.  lOI 

To  impress  upon  the  reader  the  importance  of  these 
points  we  will  bring  another  eye-witness  to  the  stand. 

Taking  the  report  of  the  Paris  Peace  Commission,  on 
page  577  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2,  55th  Con- 
gress, we  find  a  statement  by  Claes  Ericsson  telling  of  a 
trip  he  took  to  the  benighted  island  of  Palawan  in  1894, 
from  which  we  select  a  few  passages,  as  follows: 

'The  next  day  I  called  upon  Paduka  Magasori  Mau- 
lana  Amiril  Mauminin,  Sultan  Muhammad  Harun  Naras- 
sid,  lang  de  per  Tuan,  ex-Sultan  of  the  Sulu  Islands, 
once  the  home  of  the  most  bloodthirsty  pirates  that  ever 
sailed  the  China  Sea,  which  is  saying  a  great  deal.  On 
arriving  at  the  royal  village  of  Bolini  Bolini,  which  com- 
prised 'the  palace'  and  half  a  dozen  various  huts  of  bam- 
boo, my  presence  was  announced  by  a  gong  stroke,  which 
brought  out  the  master  of  ceremonies.  Invited  to  step 
within,  I  crawled  up  the  bamboo  ladder — the  'palace' 
stood  on  the  usual  piles — crossed  the  veranda,  and  in  the 
farthest  apartment  found  his  highness  of  the  many  titles 
sitting  cross-legged  on  a  divan. 

"The  ex-Sultan  is  all  powerful  in  Palawan.  The  Span- 
iards have  no  real  authority,  and  never  interfere  with  the 
natives,  except  when  Europeans  or  Chinamen  are  con- 
cerned. Some  idea  of  the  situation  may  be  gathered 
from  the  following  incident  which  happened  during  my 
stay  at  Marangas :  The  Sultan's  son,  a  boy  of  ten,  desiring 
to  visit  Lieutenant  Garcia,  came  with  a  crowd  of  retainers 
at  his  heels,  all  armed  to  the  teeth  with  guns,  pistols, 
spears  and  the  seldom  absent  kris.  Every  man  pressed 
into  the  stockade.  Had  the  Spaniards  tried  to  keep  them 
out,  there  would  have  been  a  fight.  The  danger  was 
great,  but  all  passed  of¥  quietly,  although  a  few  weeks 
before  a  Sulu  who  had  stolen  by  the  sentries  ran  amok 
at  the  lieutenant,  who  would  have  lost  his  life  within  his 
own  stockade  had  not  half  a  dozen  soldiers  come  to  the 
rescue.  At  that  time  there  was  fighting  almost  daily  in 
the  Sulu  Islands  and  Mindanao." 

Of  another  experience,  with  the  common  people  rather 
than  royalty  in  this  instance,  Mr.  Ericsson  wrote: 


102       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

**In  the  evening  one  of  my  Sulus  came  and  whispered 
in  my  ear:  'Tuan,  datu^  him  say,  Ada  orang  putih  naik 
disini,  baik  buleh^  taki  djangan  dia  balek,'  which,  trans- 
lated, means,  'Sir,  the  datu  (chief)  has  said,  'Let  the 
white  man  come  here,  but  take  care  that  he  does  not 
return.' 

"The  prospect  was  not  pleasant.  I  consulted  Minico 
(a  Manila  Filipino)  at  once.  He  informed  me  that  it 
was  generally  known  that  the  datu  of  the  district  and  the 
Sultan  were  not  on  friendly  terms,  meaning  that  if  his 
highness  of  Bolini  Bolini  could  catch  the  chief,  kris  or 
bowstring  would  speedily  settle  the  quarrel;  but  Minico 
did  not  think  the  datu  would  harm  me.  He  was  inclined 
to  believe  that  the  Sulus  wished  me  to  hasten  from  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Panglima's  village  without  coolies 
for  some  motive  of  their  own.  An  hour  afterward  the 
faithful  fellow  touched  my  arm,  signing  me  to  follow  him. 
With  a  finger  on  his  mouth  he  led  the  way  to  the  hut 
occupied  by  my  rascally  crew.  Approaching  noiselessly, 
we  listened  to  their  conversation.  They  were  talking 
about  me.  I  heard  one  suggest  that  a  push  over  a  cliff 
would  be  the  safest  way  to  compass  my  end.  Another 
declared  that  would  be  foolish.  It  would  be  much  better 
to  take  me  a  long  way  up  the  mountains  and  hold  me 
there  for  a  ransom  of  $300.  The  majority  seemed  to  be 
of  this  opinion,  and  Minico  and  I  stole  away.  Between 
the  datu  and  the  'Men  of  the  Sea'  I  seemed  likely  to 
come  to  grief,  but  forewarned  is  forearmed. 

"We  ascended  the  mountain  next  day.  Nothing  hap- 
pened, perhaps  because  my  revolver  was  seldom  out  of 
my  hand.  Leaving  men  to  collect  the  plants,  I  re- 
turned with  the  Sulus  to  the  coast  and  embarked  for 
Marangas." 

With  his  next  scene  we  return  to  the  regions  of  royalty. 

"Wanting  coolies  for  a  journey  to  Datu  Gnah's  village 
and  an  ascent  of  Panilingan  Mountain,  I  paid  the  Sultan 
another  visit;  but  the  master  of  ceremonies  whispered 
that  the  moment  was  unfavorable.  His  highness  was 
susa — that  is,  he  had  been  vexed  or  troubled. 

"By  means  of  direct  inquiries  I  learned  the  nature  of 


SULU  SAVAGERY  SANCTIONED.  103 

his  susa.  It  is  a  rather  common  story  in  the  far  East. 
Unable  to  lodge  the  whole  of  his  wives  in  the  'palace,' 
his  highness  boarded  a  few  of  them — not  the  prettiest,  I 
suspect — in  the  houses  of  his  followers.  One  of  these 
peris,  an  outcast  from  the  Palawan  paradise  through  want 
of  room,  consoled  herself  in  the  usual  way — quite  inno- 
cently, I  was  assured.  The  news  reaching  the  Sultan, 
he  sent  for  the  venturesome  lover  and  smilingly  bade 
him  be  seated  opposite  himself.  Not  being  altogether  an 
idiot,  the  man  had  come  armed.  From  his  sarong  the 
jeweled  handle  of  his  kris  protruded,  plain  to  see.  After 
a  few  complimentary  commonplaces  had  been  exchanged 
his  highness  remarked  the  weapon: 

**  'Allah  has  been  good  to  you,  S'Ali,'  he  said.  Those 
emeralds  are  very  fine,  and  the  diamonds  are  as  stars  in 
the  Heavens.  If  the  blade  match  the  hilt,  you  have  a 
treasure.    Show  it  to  me.' 

'Thrown  off  his  guards  S'Ali  drew  his  kris  from  its 
sheath,  and  holding  it  by  the  wavy  blade,  presented  it  to 
the  Sultan.  Instantly  half  a  dozen  of  his  highness'  at- 
tendants threw  themselves  upon  the  unfortunate  fellow. 
He  was  overpowered  in  a  moment  and  his  hands  securely 
tied  behind  his  back. 

"  Take  him  out,'  said  the  Sultan,  still  smiling. 

"S'Ali  was  led  away  and  lowered  to  the  ground.  Not 
a  word  did  he  utter.  It  was  Kismet.  Why  waste  his 
breath?  I  did  not  learn  the  manner  of  his  death,  by  kris 
or  bowstring.  Let  us  hope  it  was  the  first.  In  the  hands 
of  a  skillful  executioner  the  kris  is  a  merciful  weapon. 
He  was  buried  in  the  jungle  behind  the  Sultan's  'palace.'  " 

Such  despotic  savagery  has  not  only  the  sanction  but 
support  of  the  great  Christian  Republic  of  America,  even 
to  the  payment  of  so-called  "salaries,"  really  bribes,  to 
induce  its  chiefs  to  allow  our  democratic  flag  to  float  in 
peace  over  their,  as  General  Otis  has  termed  it,  "perfect 
despotism,"  but  the  Christian  Filipino  Catholics  who  seek 
democratic  freedom  under  republican  government  must 
be  hunted  to  death,  or  unconditionally  surrender. 

Upon  page  553  of  Senate  Document  No.  62  is  a  paper 


104       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

prepared  by  Mr.  Frederick  H.  Sawyer,  British  Consul 
for  the  Philippines  for  1885,  forwarded  as  evidence  for 
the  Paris  Peace  Commissioners  under  date  of  August  26, 
1898,  from  which  we  quote  one  paragraph  only,  by  way 
of  contrast  with  the  scenes  among  the  Sulus: 

'Terhaps  the  most  remarkable  talent  of  the  Tagal  is 
his  gift  for  instrumental  music.  Each  parish  has  its 
brass  band  supplied  with  European  instruments  and  gen- 
erally wearing  a  uniform.  If  the  village  is  rich  there  is 
usually  a  string  band  in  addition.  These  bands  perform 
operatic  and  dance  music  with  the  greatest  precision,  and 
their  services  at  balls  and  other  entertainments  can  be  ob- 
tained at  a  moderate  cost.  Dancing  is  a  favorite  amuse- 
ment among  the  natives  and  half-castes,  and  they  dance 
in  the  European  manner,  waltzes,  polkas,  and  the  old- 
fashioned  rigadoon.  The  brilliant  dresses  of  the  native 
women  produce  a  fine  effect  in  a  well-lighted  ball  room. 
The  Grand  Duke  Alexis  thought  the  ball  given  him  by 
Don  Joaquin  Arnedo  Cruz  of  Sulipan  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  sights  he  had  ever  seen." 

We  call  the  world  to  witness  from  the  facts  presented 
in  this  case  that  the  pretence  that  the  real  reason  for  not 
allowing  the  civilized.  Christianized,  intelligent  Filipino 
native  Catholics  the  liberty  of  self-government,  under 
their  own  leaders,  with  republican  institutions  like  our 
own,  because  of  unfitness,  is  the  most  abhorent  and  ap- 
parent hypocrisy. 

The  fact  that  the  savage,  degraded  barbarians  and 
semi-Mohammedans  of  the  Sulus  and  Mindanao  have 
been  allowed  their  own  government  under  a  most  des- 
potic rule,  contrary  to  all  our  traditions,  with  such  "reli- 
gious" customs  as  polygamy,  slavery  and  human  sacri- 
fices, is  proof  positive  of  this  assertion. 

The  reasons  for  this  are  easily  seen.  There  are  no 
friars  to  be  freed,  and  no  stolen  estates  to  be  restored, 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  KATIPUNAN.  105 

and  no  rich  parishes  to  be  retained  among  the  Moham- 
medans against  the  will  of  native  Catholics. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
FREEMASONS  AND  KATIPUNANS. 

That  there  may  be  no  misapprehension  as  to  the  re- 
lations of  the  Masonic  order  and  the  Katipunan  Society 
in  the  Phihppines,  we  quote  the  following  article  upon 
this  subject  in  the  ''New  Orient"  of  Manila  dated  Decem- 
ber 9,  1899,  which  seems  to  state  the  case  quite  clearly, 
and,  as  we  believe,  quite  correctly: 

"The  Katipunan  Society  was  an  outgrowth  from  the 
Masonic  order.  Dr.  Rizal,  its  founder,  was  a  Freemason, 
and  though  the  two  societies  are  distinct  and  have  no 
official  connection,  it  is  well  known  that  the  leading 
Katipunans  were  Masons,  and  that  the  older  order 
formed  the  strength  and  bulwark  of  the  younger.  This 
is  shown  in  the  fact  that  the  hostility  of  the  Katipunans 
was  strongly  directed  against  the  friars,  who  had  long 
persecuted  the  Masons,  at  one  time  imprisoning  no  fewer 
than  3,000  of  them  in  the  dungeons  of  Manila.  This  the 
Masons  did  not  forget,  but  bided  their  time  for  revenge. 
The  Katipunan  Society  was  organized  as  the  great  agent 
of  retribution  upon  these  oppressors,  and  indeed,  upon 
the  Spaniards  as  a  whole,  who  were  to  be  destroyed  by 
any  means,  fair  or  foul. 

"Dr.  Rizal  was  not  only  the  founder  of  the  Katipunau 
Society,  but  it  was  he  who  drew  up  its  constitution  and 
devised  its  mystic  rites.  These  were  of  a  dread  and  im- 
pressive character,  in  harmony  with  the  remorseless  na- 
ture of  the  oath  taken  by  the  members,  a  terrible  obliga- 
tion which  breathed  vengeance  upon  Spain  and  every- 
thing Spanish.  The  ceremonies  were  as  weird  and  mys- 
terious as  Oriental  ingenuity  could  devise.  Each  member 
of  the  organization  received  the  'brotherhood  mark,' 
which  was  an  incision  made  on  the  left  forearm  or  the 
left  knee  with  a  knife  of  peculiar  form,  the  handle  of 


I06      THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

which  was  covered  with  the  pecuHar  symbols  of  the  so- 
ciety. The  candidate  was  further  obliged  to  sign  the 
roll  of  the  order  with  his  own  blood.  The  third  finger 
of  the  left  hand  was  pricked  until  the  blood  flowed,  and 
with  this  finger  the  name  was  traced  on  the  paper.  The 
cicatrice  caused  by  the  knife  wound  served  one  useful 
purpose.  It  was  adopted  as  a  mark  of  recognition,  the 
mystic  mark  of  the  association.  The  work  or  the  plans 
of  the  league  were  never  discussed  with  one  who  did  not 
bear  the  significant  mark  of  brotherhood. 

'The  Katipunan  instantly  sprang  into  popular  favor. 
Its  operations,  however,  were  conducted  with  the  greatest 
secrecy,  for  the  Spanish  authorities  soon  became  aware 
of  its  existence,  and  recognizing  its  threatening  charac- 
ter, resolved  to  destroy  it,  root  and  branch.  But  this  it 
was  by  no  means  easy  to  do.  The  seeds  of  disaffection 
had  been  scattered  far  and  wide  over  the  islands,  and 
wherever  they  fell  there  sprang  up  a  branch  lodge  of  the 
great  order^  whose  central  society  was  at  Cavite.  But 
though  it  was  too  widespread  and  too  secret  to  be  exter- 
minated, it  had  one  prominent  martyr.  Dr.  Rizal  was  at 
length  suspected  of  being  the  chief  agitator  in  the  revolu- 
tionary movement  and  paid  the  penalty  with  his  life. 

''Many  of  its  members,  indeed,  I  know  to  be  in  the 
ranks  of  the  insurgents  to-day,  but  the  society,  since  it 
has  attained  its  aim  in  the  expulsion  of  the  Spaniards, 
is  no  longer  so  powerful  and  united  as  it  was.  There 
have  been  one  or  two  attempts  at  its  revival,  that  it  might 
be  used  against  the  Americans,  but  fortunately  these 
have  failed.  The  total  membership  reaches  the  large 
figure  of  50,000.  Ramon  A.  Lala." 

In  confirmation  of  the  fact  that  many  members  of  the 
Masonic  or  Katipunan  Societies  fought  in  the  Filipino 
ranks,  we  quote  from  an  interview  with  Sergeant  Fritz 
Andreae,  which  was  published  in  "The  Chicago  Record" 
and  related  to  the  capture  of  himself  and  Wm.  H.  Reeves, 
Jr.,  as  follows: 

"We  went  to  the  Philippines  in  June,  1898,  and  were 
there  when  Manila  was  captured.     We  had  charge  of 


MASONIC  INSURGENTS.  107 

photographing  for  the  war  department.  Gen.  Otis 
wanted  some  photographs  of  the  insurgent  intrench- 
ments,  and  he  sent  us  to  Dagupan,  at  the  terminus  of 
the  railroad^  about  127  miles  from  Manila.  We  wore 
white  duck  suits  and  pith  helmets,  and  the  only  indica- 
tion that  we  were  American  soldiers  was  the  chevron  on 
our  arms. 

"Now  Aguinaldo  had  issued  a  special  edict  against 
photographing,  and  when  we  were  captured  we  were 
about  to  be  treated  as  spies — taken  out  and  shot.  We 
knew  we  must  fight  for  time,  so  we  pretended  'not  to 
understand,'  though  we  did.  The  officers  sent  for  an 
Englishman  who  lived  in  the  town,  and  I  found  that  he 
belonged  to  the  same  fraternal  society  that  I  did." 

The  interview  went  on  to  state  that  they  were  there- 
upon set  free  and  treated  as  trusted  friends  instead  of 
treacherous  foes. 

The  writer  asked  Sergeant  Andreae  what  fraternity  it 
was  that  saved  him,  and  he  replied  that  the  Englishman 
was  a  Freemason,  and  he  had  found  many  members  of 
that  organization  in  the  Filipino  army  and  throughout 
the  country. 

As  soon  as  they  had  been  released  they  were  accorded 
every  kindness  and  courtesy  wherever  they  went.  Re- 
turning to  Manila  by  way  of  Malolos,  they  visited 
Aguinaldo's  headquarters  and  heard  him  deliver  his  ad- 
dress upon  the  celebration  of  the  Filipino  Independence 
Jubilee,  September  13,  1898,  witnessing  the  ceremonies 
of  that  occasion  with  great  interest. 

Coming  in  contact  with  the  Filipinos,  and  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  people  in  their  homes  and  social 
life,  and  attending  the  sessions  of  the  Philippine  Con- 
gress, they  were  astonished  at  the  civilization,  culture 
and  refinement  that  they  found  among  them. 

Having  strong  friends  In  influential  quarters  at  home, 
as  soon  as    they    reached  Manila  they   telegraphed    to 


I08        THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Washington:  'Tor  God's  sake  get  us  out  of  this  coun- 
try," and  returned  to  America  to  tell  the  truth  of  the  sit- 
uation as  they  had  seen  it. 

Sergeant  Andreae  declared  in  an  interview  published 
in  Chicago  papers:  "I  want  to  be  understood  to  say 
that  a  horrible  wrong  is  being  done  by  prosecuting  the 
war  in  the  Philippines.  The  natives  are  civilized  and 
industrious^  and  are  capable  of  self-government." 

During  a  brief  stay  in  Chicago  Messrs.  Andreae  and 
Reeves  delivered  an  illustrated  address  at  All  Soul's 
Church,  arousing  intense  sympathy  and  interest  in  the 
Filipino  cause  among  their  auditors,  and  their  expe- 
riences, though  more  recent  and  told  in  stronger  terms, 
could  not  have  been  more  strikingly  corroborative  of  the 
report  of  Messrs.  Wilcox  and  Sargent,  endorsed  so 
strongly  by  Admiral  Dewey  officially,  and  forwarded  for 
official  information. 

Expecting  to  find  uncivilized,  or  semi-civilized  sav- 
ages, they  were  astonished  to  find  homes  of  wealth  and 
refinement,  and  schools  wherein  the  children  surprised 
them,  with  their  knowledge  of  rudimentary  education. 

The  familiar  sounds  of  both  sewing  machines  and 
pianos  greeted  them,  while  brass  bands  and  orchestras 
abounded. 

Their  description  of  the  formal  declaration  of  the  Phil- 
ippine Republic  at  Malolos,  with  their  photographic 
views  of  its  scenes,  showed  a  state  of  civilization  that 
would  have  been  creditable  to  any  of  our  Central  or 
South  American  Republics. 

The  pictures  of  the  Filipinos'  trenches  after  the  battles 
told  a  pathetic  tale  of  valor  that  knew  no  fear  or  flinch- 
ing in  their  heroic  life  and  death  struggle  for  liberty, 
where  their  defences  were  piled  deep  with  dead  and 
wounded  Filipinos. 


PRISONERS  PRAISE  FILIPINOS.  109 

As  soon  as  one  man  fell  a  dozen  were  ready  to  grasp 
the  gun  from  his  dead  hands  and  face  the  foe  fearlessly, 
to  fall  in  turn,  in  the  unequal  contest  against  Catlings, 
automatic  and  rapid-fire  guns  and  American  artillery. 

Armed  with  nothing  but  bolos  or  knives,  they  were 
known  to  stand  and  die  by  the  thousands  thus. 

Lest  it  might  be  thought  that  because  he  was  a  Free- 
mason Sergeant  Andreae  fared  unusually  well,  we  will 
quote  from  an  Associated  Press  dispatch  dated  Manila, 
Sept.  30,  1899: 

'This  has  been  an  eventful  day  with  the  northern  out- 
post of  Americans  at  Angeles.  Early  this  morning  the 
Filipino  commission  appeared.  The  Americans  fol- 
lowed."    *     *     * 

Then  comes  a  description  of  the  Filipinos  which  we 
omit  passing  to  the  coming  of  the  prisoners. 

"There  soon  appeared  a  second  party  of  fourteen 
Americans,  marching  between  files  of  insurgent  soldiers. 
They  looked  the  picture  of  health  and  were  dressed  in 
new  Filipino  uniforms  of  blue  gingham,  carrying  mon- 
keys   and     other     presents     from     Filipino     friends." 

Then  comes  an  account  of  the  interview  of  officials 
which  we  pass  for  this  testimony :  "The  prisoners  unani- 
mously praised  their  treatment.  One  man  said:  'We 
have  been  given  the  best  the  country  afforded — fine 
houses  for  quarters,  servants,  good  food  and  plenty  of 
wine  and  money  allowance.  Aguinaldo  visited  us  and 
shook  hands,  but  three  of  the  boys  refused  to  shake  hands 
with  him.'  " 

"Judging  from  the  stories  of  the  prisoners  they  must 
have  been  lionized  by  the  people.  *  *  *  They  agree 
in  saying  that  the  Filipinos  all  say  they  are  'tired  of  war, 
but  will  fight  for  independence  to  the  last.' 

"The  released  soldiers  also  say  the  idea  of  independence 
has  taken  firm  hold  of  the  Filipinos,  and  they  threaten  if 


no       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

conquered  to  exterminate  the  Americans  by  assassina- 
tion. 

"Aguinaldo,  they  said,  seemed  popular  among  all  the 
people  the  prisoners  met." 

While  the  Filipinos  had  supplies,  their  prisoners  fared 
well,  apparently. 

During  a  private  interview  with  Sergeant  Andreae,  he 
informed  us  that  the  Macabebes,  from  whom  have  come 
the  only  really  friendly  natives^  and  who  have  formed  the 
volunteer  scouts  for  the  Americans,  were  bitter  enemies 
of  Freemasonry^  being  most  loyal  to  Spain  and  Roman- 
ism. 

As  this  is  the  case  we  call  their  acknowledged  leader  as 
a  witness,  quoting  from  the  Manila  Times  of  May  9, 
1900: 

''Colonel  Blanco  writes  to  the  Trogreso'  protesting 
against  the  scandalous  insinuations  of  the  'Libertas'  as 
to  his  sincerity  and  honor.  These  insinuations  were  the 
immediate  cause  of  the  visit  paid  by  representatives  of 
the  Trogreso'  to  the  'Libertas'  office  last  Saturday,  when 
the  friars  prepared  an  ambush  and  attacked  the  Tro- 
greso' men  with  sticks  and  other  weapons,  as  already 
reported. 

'Tlanco  is  a  colonel  of  the  famous  Macabebe  Volun- 
teers, who  retained  their  loyalty  to  Spain  up  to  the  very 
last.  Colonel  Blanco  says  that  he  and  his  volunteers 
have  as  yet  received  no  pay  from  Spain  for  their  services, 
as  alleged  by  'Libertas,'  and  that  though  he  expects  his 
men  will  get  paid  ultimately,  he  himself  resigns  all  claim 
because  he  wants  nothing.  As  to  the  friars,  he  mentions 
some  interesting  facts. 

'Tirst,  in  San  Fernando  de  la  Pampanga,  the  Vicario 
Foraneo  of  the  province  refused  a  drink  of  water  to  a 
wounded  and  blood-stained  Spanish  soldier.  General 
Monet,  hearing  of  this,  was  going  to  shoot  the  vicar 
forthwith,  when  Colonel  Blanco,  by  some  authority  he 
calls  'royal  prerogative,'  interceded  and  got  him  off. 

"Again  in  the  town  of  Macabebe  the  friar  in  charge  of 


MACABEBE  VERSUS   FRIARS.  Ill 

the  parish  was  trying  to  collect  25  cents  for  every  candle 
which  was  used  in  the  temporary  hospital,  night  after 
night,  while  the  sick  and  wounded  were  being  looked 
after.  These  candles  only  cost  five  or  six  cents  each, 
but  it  has  been  customary  for  friars  to  have  a  monopoly 
of  the  sale  of  candles  and  to  charge  high  prices  because 
the  candles  were  supposed  to  be  blessed.  The  Spanish 
General  thought  this  an  outrage  in  the  case  of  the  sick 
and  wounded,  whatever  it  might  be  in  the  Sin-Shifting 
business,  and  was  going  to  severely  punish  the  rapa- 
cious friar.  Blanco  again  used  his  influence  to  save  the 
man  from  well  deserved  punishment. 

''Again  in  Macabebe,  when  the  rebels  had  the  place 
within  their  grasp,  they  offered  to  spare  all  Spaniards  if 
the  twenty-two  friars  who  had  taken  refuge  there  were 
handed  over.  Blanco,  acting  simply  on  the  principle  that 
Spaniards  ought  to  stand  by  each  other,  refused  to  hand 
them  over  and  took  the  consequences. 

''Blanco,  as  a  Filipino  loyal  to  Spain,  fully  appreciated 
the  injury  that  the  friars  did  to  the  Philippines  as  well  as 
to  Spain  in  causing  so  much  hatred  to  the  Spaniards 
solely  on  account  of  the  friars.  Yet  he  always  treated 
them  honorably  and  considerately,  yet  all  the  thanks  he 
gets  from  the  friars  is  to  be  cursed  as  a  filibuster,  a 
scoundrel,  and,  worst  of  all,  a  Mason,  and  the  wonder  is 
that  they  have  not  made  away  with  him. 

"In  Macabebe,  his  native  town,  he  is  at  any  time  he 
wishes  absolute  king,  reverenced  by  all  the  Macabebes 
as  their  chief,  whatever  flag  he  chooses  to  serve.  More- 
over, during  the  time  that  he  was  Governor  of  the  is- 
land of  Seipan,  in  the  Marianas,  his  example  and  influ- 
ence among  the  simple  natives  was  such  that  they  have 
petitioned  to  be  permitted  to  retain  Spanish  nationality. 
This  love  for  Spain,  says  Blanco  in  his  letter  to  the  'Pro- 
greso,'  cannot  be  placed  to  the  credit  of  the  Spanish 
friars,  who  compelled  the  dead  to  be  thrown  into  the  sea 
if  the  sum  of  four  dollars  was  not  forthcoming  for  decent 
Christian  burial. 

"Finally,  Colonel  Blanco,  while  disclaiming  any  inten- 
tion to  glorify  himself  for  his  services  to  Spain,  points 
out  the  undoubted  fact  that  his  own  place,  Macabebe, 


112       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

is  the  most  loyal  in  the  whole  archipelago,  and  his  own 
people  are  a  standing  proof  of  what  Spain  might  have 
done  with  all  the  Filipino  nation." 

Possibly  our  own  pro-friar,  Spanish  sympathizing  poli- 
ticians, may  learn  a  lesson  from  what  this  loyal  Catholic 
and  friendly  Filipino  says. 

Again,  to  guard  against  any  seeming  Masonic  or  Prot- 
estant bias,  we  will  quote  from  another  well  known  Ro- 
man Catholic  authority  as  regards  the  character  and  ob- 
ject of  the  Order  of  Freemasons  or  the  Katipunans  in  the 
Philippines. 

In  the  issue  of  "Public  Opinion"  for  August  24,  1899, 
is  a  condensation  of  an  article  in  the  "New  York  Inde- 
pendent" by  Ramon  Reyes  Lala,  a  former  native  Filipino 
Catholic,  as  already  stated,  but  now  a  naturalized  citizen 
of  the  United  States,  in  which  he  writes : 

"The  long  and  desperate  struggle  for  Philippine  inde- 
pendence which  began  in  1896  against  the  Spanish,  and 
in  1899  is  still  continued  against  their  successors,  the 
Americans,  owes  its  origin  and  strength  to  a  widespread 
secret  society,  the  Katipunan,  or  League,  to  which  all 
the  leaders  and  most  of  the  members  of  the  party  of 
patriots  belong.  It  was  organized  in  1894,  by  Dr.  Jose 
Rizal,  poet,  patriot,  political  philosopher,  and  finally 
martyr  to  the  cause  of  liberty,  its  object  being  to  expel 
the  Spaniards  from  the  islands  and  establish  an  independ- 
ent native  republic.  It  spread  with  such  rapidity  that  in 
no  great  time  it  numbered  fully  50,000  members,  by 
whom  and  their  followers  was  fought  the  bitter  war. 
Aguinaldo,  Luna,  Agoncilla,  Francisco  Roxas,  Pedro 
Roxas,  Artacho,  Mabini,  and  others  whom  I  might  name 
were  all  prominent  members  of  this  powerful  organiza- 
tion. To  it  also  belonged  many  native  priests,  a  class 
which  has  always  been  foremost  in  the  movement  of  op- 
position to  Spanish  tyranny.  The  same  cannot  in  any 
sense  be  said  of  the  priesthood  of  Spanish  origin,  since 
these  have  been  the  bulwark  of  Spanish  tyranny.    The 


FREEMASONS  VERSUS  FRIARS.  II3 

great  element  of  opposition  to  the  priesthood  in  the  Phil- 
ippines has  been  the  Order  of  Freemasons,  and  from  this 
the  Katipunan  arose.  For  years  the  Masons  have  been 
cordially  hated  and  greatly  persecuted  by  the  priests,  who 
looked  upon  them  as  the  enemies  of  religion  and  the  dis- 
turbers of  public  order.  The  hostility  of  the  Katipunans 
was  strongly  directed  against  the  friars,  who  had  long 
persecuted  the  Masons,  at  one  time  imprisoning  no  fewer 
than  3,000  of  them  in  the  dungeons  of  Manila.  This  the 
Masons  did  not  forget,  but  bided  their  time  for  revenge. 
The  Katipunan  society  was  organized  as  the  great  agent 
of  retribution  upon  these  oppressors." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
FRIARS  VERSUS  FREEMASONS. 

The  Manila  Freedom  for  July  4,  1899,  stated  that, 
owing  to  the  bitter  feud  between  the  friars  and  Free- 
masons in  1893:  "The  founding  of  the  K.  K.  K."  (mean- 
ing the  Katipunan)  "was  therefore  a  most  welcome  op- 
portunity in  their  eyes  (that  is,  the  eyes  of  the  priests),  as 
they  hoped  the  Katipunan  Society  might  commit  some 
overt  act  which  would  enable  the  friars  to  proceed  to 
crush  it  out,  and  owing  to  their  close  connections,  at  the 
same  time  annihilate  Freemasonry  in  the  Philippines." 

Utterly  unscrupulous  in  their  cruelty,  and  thoroughly 
skilled  in  treachery,  they  proceeded  by  plots  and  intrigues 
to  work  the  ruin  of  all  suspected  of  sympathy  in  any 
way  with  these  societies,  and  the  4th  of  July  number  of 
"The  Manila  Freedom"  for  1899  shows  how  their  schem- 
ing defeated  their  deviltry.  This  statement  is  to  be  found 
in  the  fourth  and  fifth  columns  on  the  third  page  of  that 
paper,  as  follows: 

"With  all  their  cunning,  however,  they  committed  the 
fatal  error  of  founding  a  university  and  a  clerical  semi- 
nary, both  of  which  institutes  became  the  real  nurseries 


114       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

of  filibustering  ventures.  The  professors  of  the  uni- 
versity for  the  most  part  were  quite  ignorant  of  the  sub- 
jects they  were  supposed  to  teach,  were  unable  to  prevent 
their  pupils  from  convincing  themselves  of  their  ignor- 
ance, and  it  was  just  that  half  learning  of  which  the  eager 
Filipinos  very  soon  mastered  themselves  that  turned 
them  into  dangerous  enemies. 

"The  clerical  seminary  became  the  birthplace  of  bit- 
terest foes  to  the  monks.  The  native  clergy  trained  with- 
in those  walls  never  received  any  but  the  poorest  and 
hardest  worked  parishes,  and  were  treated  by  the  monks 
more  like  servants  than  as  colleagues.  As  a  rule  these  na- 
tive clergy  were  ignorant,  dirty  and  immoral,  in  fact  were 
without  principle  and  utterly  unable  to  exercise  any  bene- 
ficial influence  upon  others.  The  blame  for  this,  how- 
ever, does  not  attach  to  them  alone,  but  in  as  great  a 
measure  to  their  unprincipled  but  outwardly  refined  and 
polished  teachers,  the  Spanish  monks.  All  the  circum- 
stances tended  naturally  to  constitute  the  native  priests 
the  bitterest  enemies  of  the  Spanish  monks  with  whose 
many  cunning  ways  they  were  quite  familiar,  being  from 
time  to  time  called  upon  to  aid  them  or  co-operate  with 
them  in  exercise  of  their  functions.  The  natives  con- 
tended, and  with  justice,  that  the  parishes  represented  by 
the  monks  really  belonged  to  them,  as  according  to  a 
Spanish  law  those  parishes  were  to  be  served  by  the 
monks  under  the  title  of  monks  only  while  there  still 
remained  pagans  to  convert  within  them,  and  the  civil 
power  was  not  sufficiently  well  represented  there. 

"These  circumstances,  taken  together  with  the  impo- 
tence and  utter  incapacity  of  the  Spanish  Government  in 
regard  to  them,  were  bound  sooner  or  later  to  lead  to 
rebellion.  The  Spanish  officials  and  governors  only  came 
to  this  country  with  the  idea  of  filling  their  pockets  by 
any  means,  and  as  speedily  as  possible,  as  with  each 
change  of  cabinet  they  were  liable  to  lose  their  office, 
and  with  the  uncertainty  of  their  position  in  the  Philip- 
pines, they  could  not  possibly,  even  with  the  best  of  in- 
tention, look  after  the  welfare  of  the  country.  As  for 
contending  in  any  way  with  the  monks,  who  were  fa- 
miliar with  the  languages  of  the  country  and  with  every 


A  RELIGIOUS  REVOLT.  1 15 

prevailing  condition,  on  the  contrary,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  have  resource  to  their  guidance  before  they 
could  take  any  step  whatever. 

'This  ignorance  of  the  languages  and  habits  and  cus- 
toms of  the  country  was  the  greatest  mistake  of  Spanish 
colonial  policy.  The  officials  of  the  colonial  power  must 
be  familiar  with  the  language  of  this  colony.  Once 
being  possessed  of  that  knowledge,  acquaintance  with 
manners  and  customs  and  prevailing  conditions  soon 
follow,  and  if  the  Americans  desire  to  obtain  a  solid  foot- 
ing in  the  country  their  officials  will  have  to  learn  the 
native  languages.  For  the  rest,  the  Europeans  must  re- 
main in  the  eyes  of  the  natives  as  a  closed  book,  and  this 
the  English  and  Dutch  have  thoroughly  grasped  in  their 
colonies.  Such  were  the  evils  resulting  from  the  gross 
ignorance  of  the  Spanish  authorities  in  the  Philippines, 
and  they  would  have  lasted  even  longer  had  not  Dr.  Jose 
Rizal,  in  his  fine  classic  novels,  opened  the  eyes  of  his 
compatriots  to  the  cupidity  of  the  Spanish  officials,  the 
barbarity  of  the  Guardia  Civil,  and,  above  all,  the  shame- 
less deeds  of  the  Spanish  monks.  Even  as  Rousseau, 
Voltaire,  ^nd  the  other  encyclopaedists  were  the  intel- 
lectual forces  that  brought  about  the  upheaval  of  the 
French  Revolution,  so  Dr.  Rizal  must  undoubtedly  be 
acknowledged  as  the  primary  cause  of  the  Philippine  Re- 
bellion." 

The  following  dispatch  of  the  Associated  Press  will 
show  how  the  situation  stood  in  1899: 

"Manila,  July  23. — 6:15  p.  m. — A  Filipino  priest 
named  Gregorie  Agripay,  with  the  insurgents,  is  trying 
to  lead  a  movement  for  the  independence  of  the  church 
in  the  Philippines  from  the  Spanish  priesthood.  He  has 
issued  a  proclamation  declaring  himself  the  Vicar  Gen- 
eral of  all  the  Filipino  priests  in  the  districts  outside  of 
American  control  on  the  Island  of  Luzon,  and  is  inciting 
the  priests  to  disobey  the  regulations  of  the  church  and 
brotherhoods.  The  Archbishop  of  the  district  has  is- 
sued a  bull  excommunicating  Agripay,  and  this  action 
has  increased  the  feeling  between  the  Filipinos  and  the 
church. 

"The  Archbishop  threatened  to  excommunicate  the 


Il6       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT   THE  PHILIPPINES. 

owners  of  Spanish  papers  publishing  announcements  of 
Protestant  and  Masonic  meetings,  whereon  an  American 
paper  warned  him  that  he  might  be  expelled  from  the 
island  like  any  disturber  of  the  peace  if  he  should  incite 
rehgious  animosities." 

This  order  of  the  Archbishop's,  however,  could  not 
have  been  directed  against  native  Freemasonry,  for  that 
had  virtually  vanished. 

To  show  how  thoroughly  the  work  of  extermination 
had  been  carried  out  under  American  control,  we  relate 
the  following  incident: 

As  pictures  of  Masonic  badges,  taken  from  photo- 
graphs of  originals  in  the  Philippines  ranging  all  the 
way  from  the  first  to  thirty-third  degrees,  had  been 
published  in  the  papers  in  June,  1898,  a  very  well  known 
Chicago  Mason  wrote  to  Mr.  John  T.  McCutcheon  con- 
cerning them. 

After  waiting  a  year  for  an  answer,  he  received  a  reply 
with  the  reason  for  its  long  delay. 

Mr.  McCutcheon,  who,  as  war  correspondent  for  "The 
Chicago  Record,"  had  every  possible  facility  which  any 
one  could  have  for  finding  them,  reported  that  he  had 
tried  in  vain  for  one  year  to  find  a  Filipino  Masonic 
badge.  He  wrote:  "Under  the  Spanish  reign  it  was 
a  punishable  crime  for  natives  to  belong  to  secret  orders, 
hence  those  who  are  members  still  keep  that  fact  a  secret. 
The  local  name  of  the  semi-Masonic  societies  was  Cata- 
punan."    Signed,  "John  T.  McCutcheon." 

To  show  how  the  Filipino  Freemasons  and  Katipu- 
nans  were  hunted  out  of  existence  by  the  friars,  we  refer 
again  to  official  records. 

In  his  evidence  before  the  Peace  Commissioners  at 
Paris,  General  Charles  A.  Whittier  of  the  United  States 
Volunteers,  who  received  the  surrender  of  Manila  from 


EXCOMMUNICATION    AND    EXTERMINATION.  1 17 

the  Spaniards,  presented  four  figures  carved  in  wood  for 
their  investigation. 

His  statement  that  "the  tortures  inflicted  with  the  same 
view  of  eHciting  confessions  are  too  brutal  to  commit 
the  narrative  to  paper,"  with  his  description  of  the  "four 
carvings  in  wood  representing  tortures  inflicted,''  can  be 
found  upon  page  408  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2, 
of  the  Records  of  the  55th  Congress,  from  which  we 
quote  as  follows:  "Figure  No.  i. — This  figure  represents 
the  chastisement  which  one  of  the  municipal  authorities 
of  Jaen  (Nueva  Ecija)  suffered  in  the  prison  of  that  town, 
the  Spanish  employees  of  the  prison  entertaining  them- 
selves by  applying  the  most  horrible  tortures.  Figure 
No.  2. — This  represents  an  honorably  and  peaceably  in- 
clined resident,  in  a  village  of  the  province  of  Nueva 
Ecija,  taken  prisoner,  brutally  treated  for  being  sus- 
pected^ without  cause,  of  belonging  to  the  Katipunan, 
and  afterward  shot.  Figure  No.  3. — This  figure  repre- 
sents one  of  the  many  natives  of  the  Philippines  whom, 
during  the  late  insurrection,  the  Spaniards  shot  without 
previous  trial  in  the  outskirts  of  the  village,  leaving  their 
corpses  without  burial.  Figure  No.  4. — This  figure  rep- 
resents Mr.  Moses  Salvador,  a  young  Tagalo,  who  stud- 
ied several  years  in  Europe.  He  is  a  native  of  Manila, 
and  was  imprisoned  in  September,  1896,  for  being  a 
Freemason,  was  horribly  martyrized  in  the  headquarters 
of  the  police,  and  after  many  months  of  imprisonment 
was  shot,  by  order  of  the  Spanish  General  Polavieja,  in 
the  Luneta,  in  company  with  several  of  his  countrymen, 
all  condemned  on  the  same  charge,  of  which  several  were 
absolutely  innocent." 

The  Chicago  Inter  Ocean  published  the  following  un- 
der date  of  Manila^  January  5,  1900,  from  a  special  corre- 
spondent : 


Il8       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"Last  Sunday  morning  the  native  police  raided  the 
house  at  No.  4  Ugalde  street,  and  after  making  a  careful 
search  found  four  hand  grenades,  loaded  with  black  pow- 
der, and  fitted  with  percussion  caps,  hidden  under  a  pile 
of  rubbish  in  the  back-yard.  In  the  house  they  also  found 
a  number  of  documents  evidently  relating  to  the  Kati- 
punan,  and  containing  a  large  number  of  names,  signed 
in  red  ink,  that  an  evening  publication  has  called  blood. 

'Thirteen  natives  were  arrested,  including  one  very  old 
man,  who  makes  his  living  selling  salt,  and  his  little  son. 
This  arrest  was  made  on  the  barest  suspicion,  which  has 
since  turned  out  to  be  ungrounded. 

'*An  examination  of  the  prisoners  revealed  the  fact 
that  most  of  them  were  newsboys  and  muchachos,  who 
have  lived  in  Manila  for  the  last  six  months,  and  no  evi- 
dence detrimental  to  them  has  been  produced. 

*The  grenades  are  antiquated  affairs,  and  the  Kati- 
punan  papers  are  yellow  with  age,  and  dated  back  two 
or  three  years.  In  all  probability  the  grenades  were  hid- 
den under  the  rubbish  pile  previous  to  the  insurrection. 

'The  capture  at  first  created  great  excitement,  in- 
creased by  a  lie,  emanating  from  the  fertile  brain  of  a 
practical  joker,  to  the  effect  that  there  had  been  a  plot 
formed  to  blow  up  the  funeral  procession  of  Major  Gen- 
eral Lawton,  and  the  four  granades  were  to  be  used  on 
the  occasion. 

'Tn  the  opinion  of  a  certain  police  officer,  the  house 
of  Vincente  Reyes,  where  the  grenades  and  documents 
were  found,  has  been  the  harborage  for  a  number  of  in- 
surgents, who  have  been  endeavoring  to  stir  up  another 
outbreak  in  Manila.  However,  the  native  police  seem  to 
have  made  their  raid  at  a  time  when  none  of  the  rebels 
were  in  the  building." 

Possibly  this  was  such  a  house  as  Consul  .Williams 
wrote  of  in  his  letter  from  Manila  of  March  2J,  1898,  to 
be  found  upon  pages  321  and  2  of  Senate  Document  No. 
(y2,  part  2,  of  the  55th  Congress,  from  which  we  quote 
the  following  account  of  Spanish  "patriotism": 

''On  Friday  morning,  March  25,  a  church  holiday,  a 


EXCOMMUNICATION    AND    EXTERMINATION.  1 19 

meeting  of  natives  was  being  held  near  my  consulate  in 
Manila,  the  natives  being  unarmed.  The  building  was 
surrounded  by  police  and  military,  the  meeting  broken 
up,  twelve  natives  wantonly  shot  to  death,  several 
wounded  and  sixty-two  taken  prisoners.  Saturday  morn- 
ing, March  26,  the  sixty-two  prisoners  were  marched  in 
a  body  to  the  cemetery  and  shot  to  death,  although  it 
was  shown  that  several  were  chance  passers-by  or  em- 
ployees in  ships  adjoining,  not  being  in  attendance  at 
the  meeting.  It  was  cold  comfort  to  the  widows  and 
orphans  of  innocent  men  to  have  Spanish  officers  present 
them  the  mangled  corpses  of  husbands  and  fathers." 

These  are  fair  specimens  of  many  attempts  at  present, 
as  in  the  past,  to  attribute  to  the  Masonic  or  Katipunan 
bodies  incendiary  deeds  of  which  they  never  dreamed, 
but  which,  like  former  "plots,"  were  originated  and  ex- 
ploited by  the  "holy"  friars  to  further  their  nefarious 
ends. 

They  are  upon  a  par  with  the  insurrectionary  circulars 
printed  and  distributed  by  the  monks,  when  Governor 
General  Despujols  discovered  them  in  the  act  of  printing 
and  circulating  said  seditious  documents  and  attributing 
them  to  Dr.  Rizal,  so  as  to  cause  his  arrest  and  execution. 
Such  probably  was  the  source  of  some  famous  or  rather 
infamous  edicts  said  to  have  been  issued  for  the  extermi- 
nation of  all  foreigners  in  the  Philippines  in  1898. 

We  wish  to  remind  those  self-righteous  hypocrites 
who  raise  their  bloody  hands  in  holy  horror,  as  they  re- 
peat and  replenish  all  such  reports,  without  one  word  of 
reprobation  for  our  war  of  cruel  conquest,  with  all  its 
inexcusable  and  attendant  consequences  of  inexpressible 
sorrow,  suffering  and  woe,  that  "actions  speak  louder 
than  words,"  and  actual  facts  count  for  more  than  cur- 
rent fiction  and  falsehood. 


120       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
AMERICAN   MISDEMEANORS. 

The  facts  in  the  case,  according  to  official  records, 
might  surprise  some  of  our  so-called  American  "patriots" 
immensely  if  made  known. 

On  October  2"],  1898,  General  Otis  wrote  to  Agui- 
naldo:  *T  am  constantly  called  upon,  to  correct  miscon- 
ceptions entertained  by  my  troops,  and  to  punish  offenses 
which  they  have  wantonly  committed."  See  page  21  of 
his  official  report  of  August  31,  1899. 

Unofficial  but  not  less  authentic  accounts  tell  tales  of 
looting  and  cruelty  which  we  do  not  care  to  recount  for 
future  historians. 

Upon  page  282  Gen.  Thomas  M.  Anderson  touched  in 
his  article  of  the  ''North  American  Review"  of  February, 
1900,  very  mildly  upon  this  point,  thus:  "Our  soldiers, 
to  get  what  they  considered  trophies,  did  a  good  deal  of 
what  the  Filipinos  considered  looting.  A  number  made 
debts  which  they  did  not  find  it  convenient  to  pay." 

Robert  M.  Collins,  in  his  correspondence  for  the  As- 
sociated Press,  puts  it  plainly  thus  in  his  letter  of  July 
30,  1899: 

"There  has  been,  according  to  Otis  himself  and  the 
personal  knowledge  of  every  one  here,  a  perfect  orgy  of 
looting  and  wanton  destruction  of  property  and  most 
outrageous  blackmailing." 

The  killing  of  fifty  thousand  Filipino  patriots,  more 
or  less,  fighting  for  freedom  in  their  own  native  land, 
excluding  women  and  children  and  innocent  non-com- 
batants slain,  is  of  course  of  no  consequence  to  modern 
American  pretended  "patriots,"  but  to  show  the  spirit  of 
their  so-called  "patriotism"  we  quote  a  letter  printed  in 
"The  Chicago  Record"  of  June  13,  1899,  which  we  think 
needs  no  explanation: 


AMERICAN   MISDEMEANORS.  121 

''Corporal  Frank  Bolens,  Company  F,  Fourth  United 
States  Infantry,  now  in  the  PhiUppines,  is  a  Chicago  boy. 
In  a  recent  letter  to  friends  here  he  says: 

'^  *We  have  only  had  two  battles  since  we  came  here — 
one  at  Mariqtiina  and  another  at  Balintuac.  Old  Agui- 
naldo's  back  is  broken,  but  he  won't  give  in,  so  now  it's 
the  ''black  flag" — kill  and  no  capture  till  the  last  one  is 
out  of  existence.  We  used  to  take  them  prisoners,  but 
not  since  they  butchered  some  of  our  boys. 

"  'We  caught  a  Chinaman  stealing  a  water  bufifalo  and 
took  him  to  the  guardhouse  on  outpost  half  an  hour  ago. 
He  thought  we  were  going  to  kill  him,  and  you  should 
have  seen  him  fight  for  his  life. 

"  'We  boys  have  not  had  much  hardship  since 
the  30th  of  April.  At  that  time  we  marched  about 
forty-six  or  forty-eight  miles  and  fought  two  battles  in 
nineteen  hours,  and  that  without  stopping  for  a  bite  to 
eat.  We  don't  go  out  often,  but  when  we  do  we  make 
short  work  of  them  and  no  bragging  about  it.  We  would 
rather  fight  than  eat,  and  we  think  no  more  of  killing 
a  nigger  than  you  people  think  of  killing  a  fly.  The 
climate  is  all  right — if  it  don't  rain;  then  it  is  as  bad  as 
Cuba.'  " 

The    following    "special"   speaks    for    itself    plainly 
enough  without  comment: 
"Special  Dispatch  to  the  Chicago  Daily  News. 

"Washington,  D.  C,  June  17. — It  is  learned  that  yes- 
terday's cabinet  meeting,  the  last  before  the  President's 
departure  for  New  England,  was  given  up  almost  en- 
tirely to  a  serious  discussion  of  the  situation  in  the  Phil- 
ippines. Some  surprises  were  developed.  Several  mem- 
bers of  the  cabinet  were  outspoken  in  expressing  the 
opinion  that  100,000  troops  were  needed  in  the  Philip- 
pines.   The  fact  has  been  guarded. 

"Another  surprise  was  afiforded  the  cabinet  by  Secre- 
tary Long,  who  is  getting  more  and  more  opposed  to 
the  slaughtering  warfare  against  the  natives.  Always 
of  a  pacific  disposition,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  has  re- 


122       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

cently  been  stirred  by  what  he  considers  reckless  slaugh- 
ter of  natives  by  the  navy's  vessels. 

"Information  has  come  to  him  through  private  letters 
from  sailors  that  wherever  natives  have  been  assembled 
on  the  shore  in  firing  distance  the  warships  have  opened 
fire  regardless  of  any  hostile  provocation,  often  killing 
women  and  children  and  wrecking  private  property. 
Many  acts  of  sailors  have  been  reported  to  the  Secretary 
which  he  hardly  considers  in  keeping  with  the  rules  of 
civilized  warfare.  Pianos  and  other  private  property 
have  been  carried  away  by  sailors  to  the  warships  and 
from  communities  reported  to  be  pacified  and  under 
American  military  control. 

"These  depredations  have  worried  Secretary  Long, 
and  he  has  made  the  facts  known  to  the  President  and 
his  associates  in  the  cabinet.  For  some  time  Secretary 
Long  has  been  growing  restless  at  the  prolongation  of 
the  war,  and  his  attitude  is  now  a  source  of  grave  con- 
cern." 

In  The  Chicago  Record  of  August  9,  1899,  >Mr.  Mc- 
Cutcheon,  writing  after  the  fight  at  Zapote  Bridge  of 
June  24,  said:  "Soldiers  were  wandering  along  the  in- 
surgents' late  position  exulting  in  the  scenes  of  carnage. 
*  *  *  It  is  always  impossible  to  tell  how  many  men 
the  insurgents  lose  in  these  engagements.  They  un- 
doubtedly carry  many  of  their  dead  and  wounded  to  the 
rear  during  the  earlier  part  of  the  fights,  and  it  is  the 
supposition  of  the  American  commanders  that  the  dead 
and  wounded  found  on  the  field  are  those  who  have 
fallen  in  the  last  few  minutes  of  fighting.  *  *  *  Dur- 
ing the  bombardment,  by  the  way  in  which  explosive 
shells  were  fired  all  over  the  insurgent  territory,  it  is  im- 
possible to  think  that  all  these  shells  were  harmless. 
They  must  have  killed  many  natives,  without  regard  to 
sex  or  occupation.  *  *  *  ^  day  or  two  later,  when 
I  rode  through  Bacoor,  the  natives  refused  to  return  my 
salutation.     *     *     *     Possibly  they  did  not  care  to  con- 


AMERICAN    MISDEMEANORS.  I23 

ceal  their  hatred  of  those  who  had  riddled  their  sons  and 
brothers,  battered  their  homes  and  filled  their  grave- 
yards with  dead.  *  *  *  On  June  19  a  battalion  of 
the  Fourth  Infantry  marching  from  Imus  to  Dasmarinas 
lost  four  killed  and  twenty  wounded.  *  *  *  Two  of 
the  dead  bodies  had  to  be  abandoned,  but  were  found 
later  naked  and  mutilated.  *  *  *  There  has  been  a 
howl  of  rage  over  these  mutilations,  but  we  must  remem- 
ber the  case  of  one  of  our  own  soldiers  who  used  to  go 
out  stalking  insurgent  outposts  and  cutting  off  an  ear  of 
every  man  he  shot,  to  be  preserved  as  a  trophy." 

From  the  Chicago  Record. 
Frank  Freeman,  a  private  in  the  Twentieth  Kansas 
Regiment,  under  date  of  June  3,  1899,  wrote  to  a  friend 
in  Chicago  thus: 

"We  went  out  to  trap  the  'niggers'  May  24,  and  it 
began  to  rain  on  us  when  we  were  within  200  yards  of 
their  trenches,  so  we  had  a  good  chance  to  slip  up  on 
them.  Well,  if  you  ever  saw  any  one  surprised  it  was 
those  'coons.'  The  killing  started  right  off  and  we  ran 
them  four  miles,  capturing,  wounding  and  killing  400, 
with  only  five  companies  of  the  former  Twentieth  Kan- 
sas. *  *  *  Out  of  552  men  of  this  regiment  on  the 
lines  200  are  on  the  sick  Hst  and  the  remainder  of  the 
regiment  is  in  Manila  in  the  hospital,  and  then  you  know 
there  are  a  lot  of  fellows  who  have  never  seen  a  fight. 
We  class  them  with  the  'cold  feet' — those  who  are  afraid 
to  come  on  the  lines.  I  am  afraid  to  go,  but  I  don't  allow 
myself  to  think  about  it.  I  just  go  ahead,  and  when  the 
order  'Charge'  comes  I  go  crazy.  All  the  'man'  leaves 
me  and  'brute'  takes  its  place.  It's  the  same  with  all  of 
us.  Pride  alone  takes  a  man  through  many  a  battle. 
I  wouldn't  take  $10,000  for  my  experience,  but  I 
wouldn't  go  through  it  again  for  millions." 

The  sweet  simplicity  and  sublime  candor  of  such  a 
statement  should  stir  the  heart  of  an  American  merce- 


.124       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

nary  even,  and  when  we  compare  it  with  the  sentiments 
set  forth  as  inspiring  our  forefathers  in  their  struggles 
for  Hberty  we  feel  like  exclaiming,  ''O,  Lord  God,  how 
long!" 

We  quote  an  excerpt  in  'TubHc  Opinion"  of  May  4, 
1899,  of  an  address  by  Senator  Hoar  to  the  Sons  of  the 
Revolution,  at  Boston: 

''Captain  Charles  Miles,  one  of  the  Concord  captains, 
told  Dr.  Ripley  that  he  went  to  the  bridge  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  19th  of  April,  1775,  with  the  same  sense  of 
responsibility  to  God  with  which  he  went  to  church. 
That  has  ever  been  the  spirit  of  the  American  soldier, 
from  Concord  to  Santiago.  It  is  for  this,  and  not  for 
glory  or  for  empire^  that  the  New  England  soldier  has 
been  ready  to  consecrate  his  life. 

"I  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  saying,  Whom  shall  I 
send?    Then  said  I,  Here  am  L    Send  me. 

"It  is  this  which  has  given  to  our  fathers  of  the  revo- 
lution their  peculiar  glory,  and  which  has  given  to  the 
republic  they  founded  its  power,  its  supreme  and  un- 
equaled  power,  among  the  nations  of  the  world.  You 
would  think  from  some  recent  utterances  that  some  peo- 
ple were  of  the  opinion  that  if  the  American  soldier  is  to 
be  respected  in  the  world  hereafter  he  must  fight  to  im- 
pose his  dominion  upon  unwilling  peoples  and  subject 
races,  and  that  in  that  way  only  the  sons  of  the  Pilgrims 
and  the  men  of  the  revolution  are  to  become  a  world 
power.  The  men  of  the  nations  who  fight  for  freedom 
and  justice,  who  fight  for  the  great  doctrine  of  the  open- 
ing sentences  of  our  Declaration  of  Independence,  are 
the  men  and  the  nations  that  live  in  the  grateful  memory 
of  mankind,  and  not  the  men  or  the  nations  who  fight  for 
dominion  or  empire." 

Listen  to  the  following  strictly  official  evidence  which 
proves  beyond  peradventure  that  the  Filipinos  held  thou- 
sands of  their  most  hated  foreign  foes,  both  Spanish 
officials  and  friars,  prisoners  for  many  months,  utterly  at 
their  mercy,  and  no  massacre  ever  occurred  among  them, 


FILIPINOS  HUMANE.  125 

while  on  the  contrary  they  made  them  as  comfortable 
as  they  could  under  the  circumstances. 

Admiral  Dewey  telegraphed  the  Navy  Department 
thus:  ''Spanish  prisoners  are  not  treated  cruelly  by  the 
insurgents,  but  they  are  neglected,  not  from  design,  but 
owing  to  want  of  proper  food  supply,  medical  outfit  and 
attendance." 

Gen.  E.  S.  Otis  wrote  to  Aguinaldo  under  date  of 
Manila,  November  2,  1898,  as  follows,  see  page  41  of 
Senate  Document  No.  208,  56th  Congress:  "1  beHeve 
the  vast  majority  of  the  reports  of  great  cruelty  and 
barbarous  treatment  practiced  by  the  Filipinos  toward 
these  individuals  which  have  been  put  in  general  circula- 
tion, are  untrue." 

Gen.  C.  A.  Whittier,  in  his  evidence  before  the  Paris 
Peace  Commissioners,  stated:  "Their  conduct  toward 
their  Spanish  prisoners  has  been  deserving  the  praise  of 
all  the  world.  With  hatred  of  priests  and  Spaniards, 
fairly  held  on  account  of  conditions  before  narrated,  and 
with  every  justification  to  a  savage  mind  for  the  most 
brutal  revenge,  I  have  heard  no  instance,  of  torture^  mur- 
der, or  brutality  since  we  have  been  in  the  country." 
Page  500,  Senate  Document  No.  62,  Records  55th  Con- 
gress. 

They  held  Iloilo,  Cebu  and  other  cities  with  foreign 
populations  and  business  for  many  months,  but  neither 
massacres  nor  lootings  occurred,  possibly  because  they 
were  not  so  thoroughly  "civilized"  as  the  European 
troops  which  took  Tien  Tsin,  China. 

Consul  Oscar  F.  Williams,  of  Manila,  wrote  a  letter  for 
the  public  press  on  January  18,  1899,  which  bore  the 
strongest  evidence  upon  this  point.  It  said:  "While  we 
criticize  the  government  of  Aguinaldo,  his  has  been  the 
only  restraining  power  in  these  populous  islands  since 


126       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

May  1st  except  in  the  narrow  limits  of  Manila  and  Cavite, 
and  if  the  United  States  were  to  take  over  the  Spanish 
East  Indies  to-day  a  ledger  might  show  them  to  be 
worth  a  hundred  millions  of  gold  more  than  they  would 
have  been  had  not  the  dictatorial  commands  of  Aguinaldo 
withheld  the  torch  of  the  Filipinos,  who  were  determined 
to  burn  all  Spanish  and  Roman  Catholic  property.  I 
had  many  conferences  in  May  and  June  with  Aguinaldo 
and  his  leaders,  and  I  told  them  that  the  whole  world 
was  looking  at  them  to  judge  their  conduct,  and  that  if 
incendiaries  and  looters  had  liberty,  the  whole  Filipino 
race  would  be  condemned  as  guilty.  Aguinaldo  pledged 
observance  of  my  advice^  and  I  am  bound  to  give  him 
a  full  measure  of  credit." 

The  edict  for  the  uprising  in  Manila,  dated  January  9, 
1899,  written  by  Aguinaldo  himself  and  now  in  posses- 
sion of  the  Americans,  warned  all  Filipinos  against  loot- 
ings because  he  intended  to  prove  to  the  world  that  they 
were  a  civilized  people,  and  particular  directions  were 
given  to  protect  all  banks,  including  the  Spanish,  against 
any  possible  scheme  of  plunder. 

Aside  from  the  official  evidence  of  Admiral  Dewey, 
Generals  Otis,  Whittier  and  others  herein,  the  kind  treat- 
ment and  safe  return  of  Spanish  prisoners  disproves 
stories  of  Filipino  savagery. 

The  following  account,  to  be  found  in  the  first  column 
of  the  7th  page  of  "The  New  Orient,"  dated  Manila, 
January  27,  1900,  is  a  fair  sample  of  friar  fakes.  It  is 
headed  in  big  type,  "Bloody  Secrets,"  but  not  vouched 
for: 

"The  following  has  come  to  the  attention  of  the  New 
Orient:  It  is  believed  to  be  authentic.  The  details  con- 
nected with  the  plot  and  the  reward  which  was  organized 
with  the  view  of  killing  the  American  officers  is  given 


A   FRIAR  FAKE.  127 

without  embellishment  and  for  what  they  are  worth. 
It  is  known  that  the  insurgents  attempted  to  kill  General 
Lawton  while  he  was  on  the  north  line,  and  the  occasion 
chosen  was  when  Major  Howard  was  killed  on  the  river 
boat.  The  rebels  had  learned  that  General  Lawton  was 
to  take  that  boat  and  they  made  a  desperate  attempt  to 
kill  him^  but  killed  Major  Howard  instead.  General 
Lawton,  owing  to  some  accident,  did  not  take  the  boat, 
as  he  intended. 

'Tf  the  Information  given  here  Is  correct,  there  will  be 
some  lively  stirring  in  Manila,  and  many  prominent  peo- 
ple who  have  posed  as  America's  friends  will  have  the 
mask  torn  from  their  faces.  When  the  news  of  General 
Lawton's  death  reached  Manila  there  was  great  rejoicing 
in  certain  native  circles.  In  the  Binondo  and  Tondo  dis- 
tricts particularly  was  this  the  case,  and  it  was  at  once 
proposed  to  raise  a  purse  to  reward  the  man  who  slew 
him. 

'The  officers  of  the  Katipunan  society  took  charge  of 
the  affair,  and  among  those  particularly  active  in  the 
matter  was  Seiior  Poblete,  editor  of  El  Pueblo  Del  Grito; 
Arevalo,  dentist,  and  Arellano,  of  the  Supreme  Court. 
Money  came  in  freely.  The  keepers  of  tiendas  and  stalls, 
supported  by  their  trade  with  American  troops,  had 
plenty  of  money,  and  they  fell  over  each  other  in  their 
haste  to  contribute  to  the  good  cause.  Poblete  was  the 
treasurer,  and  within  twenty-four  hours  he  had  in  his 
hands  more  than  $100,000  of  voluntary  contributions. 

"After  hurried  consultation  It  was  decided  that  this 
was  too  large  a  sum  to  be  given  to  the  slayer  of  a  single 
man,  and  the  reward  was  fixed  at  $20,000.  The  man  who 
did  the  deed  was  a  second  lieutenant  of  the  Guardia 
Civile,  named  Garcia,  and  it  was  considered  that  the  en- 
tire sum  was  too  large  to  be  given  to  a  m.an  in  his  posi- 
tion. After  further  discussion  the  reward  was  raised  to 
$25,000,  and  the  amount  paid  over,  as  it  was  proved  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  men  who  had  charge  of  the  business 
that  he  was  the  man  to  whom  the  death  of  General  Law- 
ton  was  due  and  that  he  was  therefore  entitled  to  the 
reward. 


128       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

'The  rest  of  the  cash  on  hand  was  placed  m  a  fund  for 
the  purpose  of  rewarding  such  patriots  as  might  in  future 
be  fortunate  enough  to  rid  their  country  by  the  death 
of  hated  American  officers. 

''Further  contributions  were  soHcited,  and  money  is 
still  pouring  into  the  treasury.  At  present  Seiior  Poblete, 
who  still  acts  as  treasurer,  has  on  hand  more  than  $200,- 
000  and  the  sum  is  steadily  growing.  A  regular  schedule 
has  been  adopted  and  any  native  who  can  compass  the 
death  of  an  American  officer  of  the  rank  of  colonel  or 
higher  will  receive  a  reward  proportioned  to  the  rank  of 
his  victim. 

"This  is  the  story  as  it  comes  from  an  authority  appar- 
ently indisputable.  It  is  well,  however,  to  take  all  such 
accounts  with  mental  reservations.  Just  now  the  matter 
of  the  retention  of  the  friars  is  inducing  a  great  deal  of 
hard  feeling,  and  undoubtedly  some  questionable 
methods  will  be  used  on  both  sides.  Sefior  Poblete,  as 
editor  of  El  Pueblo  del  Grito,  has  taken  a  prominent  part 
in  this  movement,  and  by  so  doing  has  made  some  very 
bitter  enemies.  Possibly  the  whole  story  has  been  manu- 
factured by  them  for  the  purpose  of  getting  him  into 
trouble,  or  at  least  discrediting  him  at  a  critical  period." 

In  "The  New  Orient,"  under  date  of  Manila,  Febru- 
ary 3,  1900,  we  find  the  following  item  of  interest  in  this 
connection,  which  shows  why  it  may  be  possible  that  the 
"holy"  friars  have  a  hand  in  these  various  fraudulent 
reports: 

"The  'Grito  del  Pueblo'  warns  Mr.  Chappelle,  the 
American  representative  of  the  Catholic  Church,  that  if 
he  takes  up  his  residence  with  the  friars,  the  belief  that 
he  is  in  sympathy  with  them  will  be  aroused  in  the 
breasts  of  the  people  in  Manila,  who  are  already  suspi- 
cious." 

This  is  certainly  a  very  polite  way  of  putting  it,  and 
could  scarcely  be  surpassed  for  politic  expression.  Pos- 
sibly the  censorship  system  is  responsible  for  its  extreme 
politeness. 


KATIPUNAN  REUNIONS.  129 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
FREEMASONRY   REVIVED. 
From  "The  New  Orient,"  under  date  of  Manila,  Febru- 
ary 10,  1900,  we  quote  the  following  of  interest: 

"A  move  is  on  foot  to  organize  a  lodge  of  the  Free- 
masons in  Manila  and  a  meeting  at  the  office  of  The 
Manila  Times,'  18  Escolta,  is  called  for  to-morrow  at 
3  p.  m.  There  should  be  enough  members  in  Manila  to 
found  a  lodge  which  should  be  a  success  from  the  start." 

From  this  it  would  seem  that  the  work  of  exterminat- 
ing Filipino  Freemasonry,  begun  by  the  friars,  had  been 
about  finished  by  the  Americans,  from  all  accounts,  their 
plans  having  been  thoroughly  carried  out^  the  strange 
story  of  which  we  will  try  to  tell.  President  McKinley 
and  Premier  Sagasta,  both  high  Masons,  might  know 
some  reason  satisfactory  to  themselves  for  the  extermina- 
tion of  their  fellow  Filipino  Freemasons,  but  to  one 
outside  of  their  organization  it  looks  much  like  cold 
blooded  murder  or  wholesale  massacre. 

The  following,  however,  shows  that  they  are  not  all 
dead  yet,  nor  are  the  Katipunans  quite  exterminated: 

"Manila,  March  9,  1900. — Generals  Young  and  Hood 
are  asking  for  re-enforcements  and  a  battalion  of  the 
48th  regiment  has  been  sent  to  Aparri.  Other  troops  will 
follow.  The  rebels  recently  persistently  attacked  Aparri 
for  several  hours,  but  were  finally  driven  away.  Details 
of  the  affair  are  lacking. 

"The  rebels  are  holding  reunions  in  the  province  of 
North  Ilocos,  and  the  red  Katipunan  cross,  symbolic  of 
resistance,  is  again  appearing  among  the  natives.  It  is 
believed  that  the  insurgent  Generals,  Tinio  and  Flores, 
have  been  driven  by  General  Young  into  General  Hood's 
territory  south  of  Aparri. 

"The  fact  that  General  Young  is  unable,  owing  to  lack 
of  troops,  to  mamtain  garrisons  in  all  the  towns  occupied 
has  had  a  bad  effect  on  the  natives." 


I30       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

The  "Chicago  Record"  of  July  25,  1900,  contained  the 
following  account: 

"Fired  upon  by  savages,  taken  prisoner  and  held  cap- 
tive for  four  months,  during  which  time  his  life  was  re- 
peatedly threatened,  exhibited  to  natives  as  a  sample  of 
the  'ferocious  Americano,'  led  out  to  be  executed  and 
finally  Hberated  because  he  was  a  Mason,  constituted  the 
experience  in  the  Philippines  of  a  Chicago  man,  Frank 
M.  Pray,  who  has  just  returned  from  Manila.  Mr.  Pray 
said:  *We  could  look  into  the  muzzles  of  the  guns  and 
could  almost  hear  the  bullets  coming  when  an  officer 
who  had  just  arrived  observed  a  Masonic  emblem  which 
I  wore.  It  did  not  take  him  long  to  learn  that  I  was  en- 
titled to  wear  the  emblem,  and  he,  a  brother  Mason,  in- 
terceded and  caused  our  release. 

"  'Well,  then  maybe  I  didn't  make  tracks  for  Manila, 
but  I  guess  I  did.  There  our  band  of  five  broke  up,  and 
I  started  for  home  and  reached  here  yesterday.  If  any- 
body ever  says  Philippines  to  me  again  I  will  feel  like 
beating  him  to  death.' " 

In  a  letter  dated  July  24,  1900,  Mr.  Pray  stated  that 
a  member  of  their  party  who  "was  a  Mason,  claimed 
that  the  Presidente  of  the  town  of  Maasin,  where  we  were 
captured,  gave  him  the  grip.  He  had  a  Masonic  symbol 
on,  which  was  taken  ofif  as  soon  as  he  saw  the  pin  which 
the  Mason  in  our  party  wore.  The  General,  he  claimed, 
wore  a  charm.  Only  once  did  he  see  it  on  him,  however, 
as  he  took  it  ofif,  probably  having  seen  the  pin  the  mem- 
ber of  our  party  wore,  so  he  surmised.  I  afterward  heard, 
that  the  General  Ambrosia  Mojica  was  a  Mason." 

Mr.  Pray  denied  the  theory  that  the  Masons  were  the 
movers  of  the  insurrection  in  these  words:  "A  Mason, 
we  learned,  did  not  dare  to  show  his  colors.  As  to  the 
insurrection  being  a  Masonic  move,  from  what  I  saw, 
I  should  say  that  it  was  a  church  move,  rather  than  a 
Masonic  move.  The  priests  seem  to  form  an  intelligence 
bureau  for  the  benefit  of  the  insurecto  army  on  Lyte, 


NATIVE  PRIESTS  WITH  PEOPLE.  I3I 

where  I  spent  most  of  my  time.  Priests  have  been 
caught  in  the  act  and  shot  on  that  island.  Their  money 
is  used  to  carry  on  the  war. 

"It  is  worth  your  Hfe  to  leave  the  lines  to-day  out 
there.  Some  say  the  war  is  over.  I  say  that  it  is  begun. 
Perhaps  I  am  wrong.  Soldiers  (not  officers)  will  tell 
you  that  what  I  say  is  true.  Their  one  cry  is,  'Get  back 
to  God's  country,  and  get  a  good  square  meal.' 

"Yours  truly,  F.  M.  Pray." 

It  seems  as  though  this  letter  goes  to  substantiate  the 
statement  that  many  leaders,  at  least,  of  the  insurrection, 
are  Freemasons,  as  it  appears  from  what  Mr.  Pray 
writes,  that  the  Presidente  and  General  where  they  were 
captured  were  Masons,  and  he  heard  that  General  Am- 
brosia Mojica  was  one  also,  which  would  look  as 
though  some  leaders,  there,  were  Masons  at  least. 

But  this  letter  also  seems  to  show  the  further  fact 
that  the  native  priests  (not  Spanish  friars)  are  with  the 
people  head,  heart  and  soul,  in  this  insurrection,  includ- 
ing their  wealth,  and  that  the  Catholics  of  the  Philip- 
pines believe  as  heartily  in  home  rule  as  do  the  Catholics 
of  Ireland  and  other  countries,  among  them  the  Cath- 
olics of  America,  we  believe. 

In  fact,  these  Filipino  Separatists  seem  to  be  as  faith- 
ful to  the  church  as  they  are  hostile  to  the  friars,  while 
every  known  element  of  the  population  seems  united 
with  them  in  hostility  to  these  Spanish  oppressors. 

But  to  present  the  facts  in  the  case  as  we  learn  them 
from  official  sources  and  not  to  offer  our  own  unsup- 
ported opinions^  we  quote  again: 

President  McKinley  said  in  Pittsburg,  on  August  28, 
1899,  in  his  address  of  welcome  to  the  troops  return- 
ing from  the  Philippines:  "A  body  of  insurgents,  in 
no  sense  representing  the  sentiment  of  the  people  of 


132       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  islands,  disputed  our  lawful  authority."  But  our 
commanding  generals  say  quite  the  contrary.  Major- 
General  MacArthur,  the  present  Governor-General  of  the 
Philippines,  declared  to  the  correspondent  of  the  ''Cri- 
terion," Mr.  H.  Irving  Hancock: 

''When  I  first  started  in  against  these  rebels  I  beUeved 
that  Aguinaldo's  troops  represented  only  a  faction.  I 
did  not  like  to  believe  that  the  whole  population  of 
Luzon — the  native  population,  that  is — was  opposed  to 
us  and  our  offers  of  aid  and  good  government.  But  after 
having  come  this  far,  after  having  occupied  several  towns 
and  cities  in  succession,  and  having  been  brought  much 
into  contact  with  both  insurectos  and  amigos,  I  have 
been  reluctantly  compelled  to  believe  that  the  Filipino 
masses  are  loyal  and  devoted  to  Aguinaldo  and  the  gov- 
ernment which  he  heads." 

Gen.  E.  S.  Otis,  the  Governor-General  preceding  Gen- 
eral MacArthur,  wrote  upon  page  14  of  his  official  report 
of  August  31,  1899: 

"The  insurrection  had  spread  to,  and  was  active  in,  all 
the  islands  with  the  exception  of  the  Sulu  archipelago." 

Mr.  John  F.  Bass,  the  war  correspondent,  wrote  for 
"Harper's  Weekly":  'The  whole  population  of  the  is- 
lands sympathizes  with  the  insurgents ;  only  those  natives 
whose  immediate  self-interests  require  it,  are  friendly  to 
us." 

Gen.  Thomas  M.  Anderson,  the  first  commander  of  our 
American  military  forces  in  the  Philippines,  wrote  in  his 
signed  article,  published  in  'The  Chicago  Record,"  of 
February  24,  1900,  in  part  as  follows: 

"It  must  be  remembered  that  two  years  before  Aguin- 
aldo had  been  the  leader  in  a  rebellion  the  object  of  which 
was  to  set  up  an  independent  Filipino  government.  The 
Filipino  people,  in  a  vague  way,  had  the  same  anticipa- 
tion, for  it  must  be  understood  that  while  Aguinaldo  is 
to  us  a  very  ordinary  man  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  is  to  his 


INTRODUCTION  OF    FREEMASONRY.  133 

countrymen  an  ideal.  He  is  a  long-expected  Moses  to 
lead  them  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  He  is  an  oriental 
Washington." 

President  McKinley  said  in  his  Pittsburg  speech  re- 
ferred to:  'The  misguided  followers  in  rebellion  have 
only  our  charity  and  pity.  As  to  the  cruel  leaders,  who 
have  needlessly  sacrificed  the  lives  of  thousands  of  their 
people,  at  the  cost  of  some  of  our  best  blood,  for  the 
gratification  of  their  own  ambitious  designs,  I  will  leave 
to  others  the  ungracious  task  of  justification  and 
eulogy." 

Mr.  McKinley  seems  to  look  upon  the  Filipino  patriots 
much  as  General  Gage,  of  the  British  army,  looked  upon 
the  American  patriots  when  he  wrote  to  Lord  Dart- 
mouth a  week  after  Bunker  Hill: 

"The  rebels  do  not  see  that  they  have  exchanged  lib- 
erty for  tyranny.  No  people  were  ever  governed  more 
absolutely  than  the  American  provinces  now  are;  and 
no  reason  can  be  given  for  their  submission  but  that  it  is 
tyranny  which  they  have  erected  themselves." 

Leaving  our  readers  free  to  form  their  own  opinions, 
we  give  them  the  following  story  of  the  start-  of  Free- 
masonry in  the  Philippines  from  the  Manila  "Freedom" 
of  July  4,  1899: 

"It  was  in  the  year  1873  that  Freemasonry  first  arose 
in  the  Philippines.  At  that  time  its  members  were  ex- 
clusively comprised  among  the  Peninsulres  (Spaniards 
born  in  Spain).  It  was  only  later  under  the  presidency 
of  Rufino  Torrejon,  Jacobo  Zobel  and  others,  that  Free- 
masonry began  to  spread  in  the  Philippines,  but  it  was 
not  before  1886  that  natives  were  enrolled.  The  Filipinos, 
bitterly  incensed  at  the  continuous  abuses  and  excesses 
of  the  monks,  who  observed  neither  law  nor  principle, 
organized  on  the  28th  of  February,  1888,  a  great  demon- 
stration against  the  'Frailies'  and  a  petition  was  drawn 
up  begging  the  Queen  Regent  of  Sp^in  to  order  the 


134       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

'Expulsion  de  los  Frailes.'  General  Ferreros,  the  Gov- 
ernor-General; CentenO',  Civil  Governor,  and  Quiroza, 
Administrator  Civil,  were  all  of  them  Freemasons,  but 
of  course  the  petition  ended  in  a  fiasco.  Meantime 
troubles  broke  out  in  several  parts  of  the  province 
against  the  monks.  For  instance,  in  1886,  in  San 
Fernando  de  la  Union,  in  'connection  with  which  the 
relatives  of  Luna  were  deported,  and  in  1889,  in  Calamba, 
where  the  natives  refused  to  pay  further  tribute  to  the 
monks.  Up  to  1888  barely  twelve  Filipinos  were  Free- 
masons, amongst  them  being  Dr.  Rizal,  Tomas  del 
Rosario,  etc. 

*'In  1889  there  appeared  in  Madrid,  and  afterwards  in 
Barcelona,  the  first  number  of  'La  SoHdaridad/  a  jour- 
nal of  progressive  principles,  and  amongst  other  things 
demanded  representation  of  the  Filipinos  in  the  Spanish 
Cortes.  Instantly  the  priests  were  up  in  arms,  and  the 
result  was  that  the  circulation  of  the  paper  was  forbidden 
in  the  Philippines.  Under  the  administration  of  the  just 
and  well  meaning  Governor-General  Despujol,  Dr.  Rizal 
ventured  to  return  to  the  Philippines,  and  in  1892  he 
founded  the  Xiga  Filipino,'  the  object  of  which  was  to 
secure  reforms  for  the  Filipinos.  Soon  after  Rizal  was 
arrested  and  deported  to  Dapitan.  Despujols  was,  at  the 
instance  of  the  priests,  recalled  in  the  spring  of  1893. 
The  arrest  of  Rizal  had  greatly  embittered  the  people. 
As  the  'Liga  Filipino'  achieved  nothing,  Andres  Boni- 
facio and  other  members  transformed  the  society  in  1893 
into  the  Katipunan.  Intending  members  had  to  sign 
the  'pacto  de  sangre;'  i.  e.,  they  had  to  sign  their 
names  in  their  blood. 

"By  1896  the  membership  of  the  K.  K.  K.  (meaning 
the  Katipunan)  had  reached  30,000,  and  matters  had 
sufficiently  matured  for  a  coup.  Meanwhile  the  monks 
had  followed  the  whole  course  of  events  with  the  closest 
attention.  By  means  of  the  confessional,  and  more  espe- 
cially through  spies  enrolled  as  members  of  the  lodges, 
they  were  kept  thoroughly  en  rapport  about  everything 
that  went  on. 

*'Their  ^2'itidoal  spy  was  AguedO  ?del  Rosarior.    He 


FRIARS  CRUSHING  FREEMASONRY.  135 

ultimately  disappeared,  and  no  trace  has  since  been  dis- 
covered of  him.  Fr.  Mariano  Gil,  the  priest  of  Tondo, 
where  the  K.  K.  K.  had  the  largest  membership,  dis- 
tinguished himself  above  all  the  other  priests  in  his  zeal 
for  their  prerogative.  The  monks  calmly  watched  the 
proceedings^  awaiting  a  favorable  opportunity  for  a 
striking  blow  not  only  at  the  K.  K.  K.,  but  at  the  entire 
Masonic  system.  They  intended  in  fact  to  'engordor  al 
puerco  antes  de  matarle'  (to  fatten  the  pig  before  killing 
it).  Their  aim  was  to  so  inflame  public  opinion  that 
Freemasonry  and  the  K.  K.  K.  would  come  to  be  re- 
garded as  one  and  the  same  thing,  and  in  this  way  to 
brand  Freemasonry  as  a  danger  to  the  state  and  thus 
crush  it  out  forever. 

"But  even  as  an  avalanche  is  born  from  a  snow-ball, 
events  began  to  assume  gigantic  proportions,  and  this 
time  the  monks  had  fatally  miscalculated.  In  June,  at 
the  instance  of  Mariano  Gil,  the  first  arrest  was  made  in 
Manila.  As  these  were  growing  more  and  more  numer- 
ous, the  K.  K.  K.  withdrew  outside  of  Manila  until,  on 
July  1st,  the  first  fight  took  place  near  Caloocan.  For 
the  Spaniards  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  disperse  the  na- 
tives, armed  only  with  bolos  and  bamboo  spears.  A 
week  later  fighting  ensued  at  Santa  Mese  and  San  Juan 
del  Monte.  Meanwhile  arrests  followed  on  arrests.  The 
citadel  of  St.  lago  was  before  long  so  filled  up  with  pris- 
oners that  fifty-nine  were  suffocated  in  one  night.  Tor- 
tures were  inflicted  on  the  prisoners  to  make  them  con- 
fess. In  Cavite,  too,  the  Freemasons  were  captured, 
and  many  of  them  shot.  In  another  case  a  vice-president 
of  the  Katipunan,  in  order  to  induce  him  to  confess,  was 
sandwiched  in  between  two  sets  of  boards  and  firmly 
bound.  In  this  condition  he  was  dipped  bodily  under 
the  water  of  a  deep  well  and  held  there  some  seconds, 
when  he  was  brought  to  the  surface.  This  was  repeated 
three  times  without  any  confession  criminating  others 
being  forced  from  his  lips.  After  the  third  immersion 
the  man  was  found  suffocated.  This  took  place  in  the 
town  of  Candaba.  At  that  time  Aguinaldo  was  sub- 
governor  of  Cavite  Viejo,  and  when  he  learned  that  he, 
too,  was  to  be  arrested,  he  rose  in  rebellion,  and  with 


136      THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

him  the  whole  village,  followed  by  San  Francisco  de 
Malabon,  Naic,  Noveleta,  Imus  and  Silang;  and  the 
priests  and  the  officers  of  the  Guardia  Civil  were,  mas- 
sacred. Aguinaldo,  the  leader  of  the  revolution,  re- 
moved his  headquarters  from  Cavite  to  Imus,  and  an  at- 
tempt on  the  part  of  the  Spanish  General  Aguirre,  with 
two  field  guns,  fifty  cavalry  men  and  150  infantry  to 
recapture  Imus  was  brilliantly  repulsed  although  the  na- 
tives in  Imus  had  only  vine  rifles.  Andres  Bonifacio, 
the  founder  of  the  K.  K.  K.,  was  subsequently  shot  at 
Naic  by  order  of  Aguinaldo^  who  did  not  approve  of  his 
bloodthirsty  methods." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
AGUINALDO   A   NATURAL   LEADER. 

Joseph  L.  Stickney  wrote  of  Aguinaldo  and  his  Ma- 
sonic affiliations  for  "The  Chicago  Record"  of  June  24, 
1899,  as  follows:  "It  is  reported  that  he  upset  his  whole 
university  career  by  joining  the  Masons.  Soon  after- 
ward he  went  to  Hong  Kong  and  knocked  around  for 
several  years,  practically  a  political  refugee  because  of 
his  Masonic  affiliations." 

According  to  this  account,  Aguinaldo  was  then  an 
exile,  driven  from  his  home  and  native  land  by  the  fierce 
persecutions  of  the  friars,  who  followed  a  Mason  with 
relentless  fury,  never  satisfied  till  he  was  utterly 
despoiled  or  destroyed.  This  they  did  then,  and  this 
they  are  still  doing,  and  are  likely  to  do  as  long  as 
they  are  allowed  to. 

The  life  of  Aguinaldo  is  an  illustration,  he  having  been 
born  in  1871  in  the  most  troublous  times  in  Imus,  prov- 
ince of  Cavite.  His  father  was  said  to  be  a  well-to-do 
planter,  raising  rice  and  sugar,  constantly  harassed  by 
the  Order  of  Recollets,  who  claimed  his  crops.     They 


ANECDOTES  OF  AGUINALDO.        137 

instituted  incessant  lawsuits  against  him,  keeping  up  a 
constant  contest  for  his  fields  till  his  death. 

Aguinaldo,  who  had  been  banished  from  his  native 
village  by  the  friar  influences^  had  been  sent  from  home 
to  be  educated,  but  upon  his  father's  death  he  took  up 
the  struggle  for  the  family  against  the  friars'  rapacity, 
and  continued  it  fearlessly. 

According  to  some  seemingly  reliable  accounts,  when 
Dr.  Jose  Rizal  returned  to  Manila,  they  became  firm 
friends  and  being  fellow  Masons  stood  together.  He 
would  have  been  shot  with  Dr.  Rizal  had  he  not  drawn 
his  revolver  and  killed  the  officer  who  came  to  capture 
him. 

For  the  following,  which  is  taken  from  the  organ  of 
our  present  Postmaster-General,  who  should  be  posted, 
we  would  not  vouch.  It  is  a  little  laughable  at  least  to 
note  with  what  readiness  a  newspaper  writer  will  supply 
any  trifling  items  such  as  names,  etc.,  when  needed: 

"Panicho  Aguinaldo,  the  native  dictator  of  the  Philip- 
pines, is  a  very  picturesque  personage.  He  is  the  son  of 
a  prominent  native  chief.  Anxious  that  his  boy  should 
be  educated,  this  chief  confided  the  lad  to  the  Spanish 
priests,  who  thought  that  Aguinaldo's  influence,  when 
he  grew  up,  would  help  to  maintain  Spanish  authority 
among  the  Malay  population.  The  father  is  rich,  for  a 
native,  and  Pancho  Aguinaldo,  after  being  taught  in  the 
local  schools,  was  sent  to  Madrid  to  study  theology  and 
qualify  for  the  priesthood.  After  a  year  or  two  of  study 
the  young  man  boldly  declared  he  would  not  be  a  priest, 
but  a  soldier.  So  he  was  drafted  into  one  of  the  native 
regiments,  in  which  a  few  of  Ijie  subalterns  are  Manila 
men,  but  all  the  captains  and  field  ofificers  are  Spaniards. 

"Nearly  two  years  ago  Aguinaldo  and  a  compatriot 
named  Alejandro,  also  a  lieutenant  of  native  troops,  or- 
ganized a  revolt  in  the  native  corps.  Aguinaldo's  regi- 
ment one  morning,  while  on  parade,  shot  all  the  Spanish 
officers  except  a  few  lieutenants,  and  took  to  the  savan- 


138       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

nas — great  trackless  prairies,  swampy,  with  occasional 
high  bits  of  land  called  'mattes.'  Here  Aguinaldo  made 
his  headquarters.  At  one  time  he  must  have  had  4,000 
or  5,000  men  under  arms  of  some  sort  hidden  in  these 
fastnesses,  raiding  the  rich  settlements  whenever  they 
felt  like  it.  The  political  Governor-General  of  the 
Philippines,  Sefior  Don  Basilio  Augustin  y  Davila, 
offered  a  reward  of  $20,000  for  the  head  of  Aguinaldo. 
Within  a  week  he  received  a  note  from  the  insurgent 
cnief  saying:  *I  need  the  sum  you  offer  very  much  and 
will  deliver  the  head  myself.' 

"Ten  days  later  the  southeast  typhoon  was  raging. 
The  hurricane — for  it  was  one — was  tearing  things  to 
bits,  and  it  was  raining,  as  it  can  rain  only  in  the  orient, 
a  sheet  of  black  water  flooding  the  earth.  The  two  sen- 
tinels at  the  Governor-General's  gate  made  the  usual 
reverent  sign  as  a  priest  passed  in,  who  asked  if  his  ex- 
cellency was  within  and  unengaged.  They  answered  yes 
to  both  questions.  Don  Basilio  did  not  turn  his  head 
as  some  one  entered.  It  was  his  secretary,  he  supposed, 
come  to  help  prepare  an  eloquent  statement  upon  the 
condition  of  the  colonies.  It  was  not  the  secretary,  but 
a  priest,  who  said:    Teace  be  with  you,  my  son.' 

'The  cleric  locked  the  door,  and,  dropping  his  cloak, 
said: 

"  'Do  you  know  me?' 

"Don  Basilio  did  not  know  him.  It  was  Aguinaldo, 
with  a  20-inch  bolo,  a  native  knife,  sharp  as  a  razor, 
carried  by  every  Malay  in  time  of  trouble.  They  can 
lop  off  an  arm  with  one  blow,  as  though  it  was  a  carrot. 

"  'I  have  brought  the  head  of  Aguinaldo,'  the  chief 
said,  touching  the  edge  of  his  jewel-hilted  bolo,  to  ascer- 
tain its  condition,  'and  I  claim  the  reward !  Hasten,  else 
I  shall  have  to  expedite  the  matter  myself.' 

"Don  Basilio  was  trapped.  He  had  to  open  his  desk 
and  count  out  the  sum  in  Spanish  gold.  Aguinaldo 
punctiliously  wrote  a  receipt,  coolly  counted  the  money, 
and  walked  backward  to  the  door.  He  suddenly  opened 
it  and  dashed  out,  just  ahead  of  a  pistol  bullet  that  cut 
his  locks  on  the  temples.  Captain-General  Polavieja 
offered  him  and  Alejandro  a  free  pardon  and  $200,000 


ANECDOTES  OF  AGUINALDO.  139 

each  to  quit  the  colony.  They  accepted  and  got  the 
money,  only  to  learn  that  they  were  both  to  be  assassin- 
ated the  next  night  at  a  festa.  The  two  men  who  had 
undertaken  the  job  were  found  dead,  stabbed  to  the 
heart,  in  their  own  beds.  On  the  kris  handle  was  a  bit  of 
paper  with  a  line  saying:  'Beware  of  the  Malay's  ven- 
geance.* 

"Polavieja  resigned  and  returned  to  Spain,  being  suc- 
ceeded by  General  Augustin^  formerly  Captain-General 
of  Barcelona. 

"Aguinaldo  is  about  28  years  old.  He  and  his  com- 
rade, Alejandro,  hold  the  future  of  the  Philippines  in 
their  hands. — Philadelphia  Press." 

To  show  how  stories  grow' and  change  we  quote  the 
following  as  a  variation  of  the  foregoing: 

When  Aguinaldo  had  heard  the  Archbishop  had  placed 
a  bounty  of  a  large  sum  of  money  upon  his  head,  dead  or 
alive,  he  took  a  copy  of  the  document  with  him  and  went 
to  the  Archbishop's  palace  and  showed  him  his  bid  for 
his  head,  exhibiting  a  threatening-looking  revolver, 
quite  incidentally,  and  said:  **I  have  brought  it  to  you, 
and  want  my  money,  and  at  once,"  whereupon  the  Arch- 
bishop handed  it  over. 

The  death  of  Dr.  Rizal  and  the  arrest  of  leading  Fili- 
pinos aroused  the  people,  and  Aguinaldo  raised  the 
standard  of  the  revolution  in  earnest.  The  people  ral- 
lied around  him  and  as  he  was,  as  Admiral  Dewey  wrote 
to  Consul  Wildman,  "a  born  soldier,"  the  Spaniards  were 
beaten.  Armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  bolos  and  bam- 
boo spears^  vine  rifles  and  wooden  swords,  the  Filipinos 
fought  so  bravely  that  they  forced  a  peace. 

On  December  14,  1897,  the  Treaty  of  Peace  of  Biak- 
na-bato  was  signed  by  General  de  Rivera  and  Aguin- 
aldo, promising  all  the  reforms  for  which  the  Filipinos 
had  fought,  including  the  expulsion  of  the  friars. 

For  an  accurate  account  of  these  occurrences  we  re- 


140       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT   THE  PHILIPPINES. 

fer  to  Aguinaldo's  official  record,  under  date  of  Tarlak, 
September  23,  1899,  signed  by  him  as  President  and 
bearing  the  official  seal  of  the  Philippine  Republic,  as  fol- 
lows : 

"Spain  ruled  the  Philippine  islands  for  more  than 
three  centuries  and  a  half,  during  which  time  the 
abuses  caused  by  the  rule  of  the  friars  and  the  adminis- 
tration exhausted  the  patience  of  the  natives,  forcing 
them  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  oppression;  this  they  did 
between  the  26th  and  31st  of  August,  1896,  the  provinces 
of  Manila  and  Cavite  being  the  first  to  commence  the 
revolution. 

*Tn  these  glorious  days  Balintawak,  Santa  Mesa,  Ka- 
wit,  Noveleta  and  San  Francisco  de  Malabon  arose  and 
proclaimed  the  independence  of  the  Philippines,  being 
followed  five  days  afterward  by  all  the  other  towns  of 
the  province  of  Cavite,  without  there  having  existed 
any  previous  agreement  toward  carrying  out  this  move- 
ment, evidently  inspired  by  this  noble  example. 

''Although  in  the  province  of  Cavite  written  orders, 
signed  by  Don  Augustin  Rieta,  Don  Candido  Tirona 
and  myself,  who  were  officers  of  the  revolutionary  troops, 
had  been  circulated  to  effect  a  general  uprising  of  the 
people,  it  remained  very  doubtful  whether  the  same  had 
been  obeyed  or  had  even  reached  their  destination.  One 
of  these  orders  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Spaniard,  Don 
Fernando  Parga,  the  political  and  military  governor  of 
the  province,  who  reported  the  matter  at  once  to  the 
Captain-General,  Don  Ramon  Blanco  y  Erenas,  who  im- 
mediately ordered  an  attack  on  the  revolutionists. 

''Providence  surely  willed  that  this  should  be  the  hour 
for  the  emancipation  of  the  Philippines,  and  aided  and 
protected  the  revolutionists.  For  only  thus  could  it  be 
possible  that  men  armed  only  with  clubs  and  knives, 
with  neither  discipline  nor  organization,  could  vanquish 
the  trained  Spanish  troops  in  the  savage  engagements 
at  Bakoor,  Imus  and  Noveleta,  so  that  they  even  cap- 
tured a  great  many  rifles,  forcing  General  Blanco  to  sus- 
pend action  and  to  endeavor  to  quench  the  revolution 


TREATY  OF  BIAK-NA-BATO.  141 

by  a  more  concilatory  policy,  under  the  pretext  that  he 
was  averse  to  'slaughtering  the  Filipinos.' 

*'The  Spanish  government,  not  approving  of  the  line 
of  policy  followed  out  by  General  Blanco,  sent  Lieuten- 
ant-General  Don  Camilo  Polavieja  with  a  force  of  regu- 
lar Spanish  troops  of  the  peninsula  to  supersede  the 
former. 

"With  16,000  men,  armed  with  Mauser  rifles,  and  one 
battery,  Polavieja  attacked  the  revolutionists  in  good 
earnest.  Having,  however,  scarcely  retaken  half  of  the 
province  of  Cavite,  he  fell  sick  and  resigned  his  position 
in  April,  1897. 

''Don  Camilo  Polavieja  having  been  superseded  by 
Captain-General  Don  Fernando  Primo  de  Rivera,  he 
prosecuted  the  war  against  the  revolutionists  with  vigor, 
iDUt  without  needless  cruelty,  succeeding  in  retaking  the 
whole  province  of  Cavite  and  in  driving  the  rebels  to  the 
mountains. 

"Then  I  pitched  my  camp  in  the  wild  and  unknown 
range  of  Biak-na-bato,  where,  toward  the  end  of  May, 
1897,  I  established  the  republican  government  of  the 
PhiHppines. 

"Don  Pedro  Alejandro  Paterno  came  several  times  to 
Biak-na-bato  to  make  propositions  of  peace,  which  after 
five  months  of  lengthy  deliberations,  was  concluded  and 
signed  on  the  14th  of  December  of  the  said  year,  1897, 
on  the  following  basis: 

"Firstly.  I  was  to  be  free  to  live  abroad  with  the 
companions  who  were  willing  to  follow  me,  and  in  Hong 
Kong,  which  I  had  decided  on  as  a  place  of  residence, 
the  payment  of  $800,000  indemnification  money  was  to 
be  made  in  three  installments,  $400,000  on  receipt  of  all 
the  arms  that  were  in  Biak-na-bato,  $200,000  when  the 
number  of  arms  delivered  up  should  amount  to  800,  and 
the  remaining  $200,000  on  the  total  number  of  the  same 
reaching  1,000,  when,  as  a  thank  offering,  the  Te  Deum 
should  be  celebrated  in  the  cathedral  of  Manila.  The 
last  two  weeks  of  the  month  of  February  were  fixed  upon 
as  the  final  term  for  the  delivering  up  of  the  arms. 

"Secondly.     The  money  was  all  to  be  delivered  to  me 


142       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

personally,  and  I  was  to  settle  without  interference  with 
my  companions  and  the  other  revolutionists. 

'Thirdly.  Before  the  Philippine  revolutionists  should 
evacuate  Biak-na-bato  Captain-General  Don  Primo  de 
Rivera  was  to  send  me  two  Spanish  generals  who  were 
to  remain  as  hostages  till  I  and  my  companions  reached 
Hong  Kong  and  the  first  installment  of  the  indemnifica- 
tion, that  is^  $400,000,  had  been  received. 

"Fourthly.  It  was  also  agreed  to  suppress  the  relig- 
ious societies  in  the  islands,  and  that  poHtical  and  ad- 
ministrative autonomy  should  be  established,  although 
by  request  of  General  Primo  de  Rivera  these  latter  condi- 
tions were  not  put  down  in  writing,  owing  to  his  asser- 
tion that  otherwise  the  treaty  would  be  in  too  humiliating 
a  form  for  the  Spanish  government,  while  on  the  other 
hand  he  guaranteed  on  his  word  as  gentleman  and 
officer  the  fulfillment  of  the  same. 

"General  Primo  de  Rivera  paid  the  first  installment  of 
$400,000  while  the  two  generals  were  still  detained  as 
hostages. 

"On  our  side  we,  the  revolutionists,  fulfilled  the  con- 
dition of  delivering  up  the  arms,  the  number  of  which 
exceeded  1,000,  a  fact  that  was  known  to  everybody  and 
published  in  the  papers  of  Manila. 

"But  the  Captain-General  failed  to  carry  out  the  rest 
of  the  conditions,  namely,  the  payment  of  the  other  in- 
stallments, the  suppression  of  the  friars,  and  the  reforms 
agreed  upon,  although  the  Te  Deum  was  sung." 

Aguinaldo  then  goes  on  to  state  that  after  he  and  his 
companions  had  thus  complied  with  the  terms  of  the 
treaty,  leaving  their  native  land  for  the  sake  of  its  prom- 
ised peace  and  reforms  which  were  never  realized,  they 
were  warned  never  to  return. 


VINDICATED  BY  CONSUL  WILDMAN.  143 

CHAPTER  XX. 
AGUINALDO  NOT  BRIBED. 

As  so  much  has  been  said  about  Aguinaldo  having 
betrayed  his  country  for  a  bribe,  and  as  so  many  misin- 
formed persons  seem  to  beHeve  this  falsehood,  we  will 
refer  to  the  United  States  official  record  for  its  refuta- 
tion and  for  a  fair  statement  of  the  facts. 

Consul-General  Wildman,  of  Hong  Kong,  wrote  to 
Mr.  Moore  of  the  State  Department  on  July  i8,  1898,  a 
letter  which  is  to  be  found  in  Senate  Document  No.  62, 
pages  336,  337  and  338  (part  2).  Beginning  at  the  top 
of  the  page  337  it  reads  as  follows,  quoting  word  for 
word  from  the  record: 

'*  There  has  been  a  systematic  attempt  to  blacken  the 
name  of  Aguinaldo  and  his  cabinet,  on  account  of  the 
questionable  terms  of  their  surrender  to  Spanish  forces  a 
year  ago  this  month.  It  has  been  said  that  they  sold 
their  country  for  gold,  but  this  has  been  conclusively 
disproved,  not  only  by  their  own  statements  but  by  the 
speech  of  the  late  Governor-General  Rivera  in  the  Span- 
ish Senate  June  11,  1898.  He  said  that  Aguinaldo  un- 
dertook to  submit  if  the  Spanish  government  would  give 
a  certain  sum  to  the  widows  and  orphans  of  the  insur- 
gents. He  then  admits  that  only  a  tenth  part  of  this  sum 
was  ever  given  to  Aguinaldo,  and  that  the  other  prom- 
ises made  he  did  not  find  it  expedient  to  keep. 

"I  was  in  Hong  Kong  September,  1897,  when  Aguin- 
aldo and  his  leaders  arrived  under  contract  with  the 
Spanish  government.  They  waited  until  the  ist  of  No- 
vember for  the  payment  of  the  promised  money  and  the 
fulfillment  of  the  promised  reforms.  Only  $400,000, 
Mexican,  was  ever  placed  to  their  credit  in  the  banks, 
and  on  the  3d  of  November,  Mr.  F.  Agoncillo,  late 
Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  in  Aguinaldo's  cabinet,  called 
upon  me  and  made  a  proposal  which  I  transmitted  to 
the  State  Department  in  my  dispatch  No.  19,  dated 
November  3,  1897.     In  reply  the  State  Department  in- 


144       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

structed  me  to  courteously  decline  to  communicate  with 
the  department  further  regarding  the  alleged  mission." 

This  letter  was  a  portion  of  the  evidence  presented  to 
the  Peace  Commission  at  Paris. 

On  pages  404  to  440,  inclusive,  of  the  same  Senate 
Document  No.  62,  Part  2,  can  be  found  "Memoranda 
concerning  the  situation  in  the  Philippines  on  August 
30,  1898,  by  F,  V.  Greene,  Major-General  of  Volunteers, 
and  accompanying  papers/'  of  vital  importance.  Gen- 
eral Greene  being  one  of  our  officers  in  command  at 
the  battle  of  Manila,  was  one  of  those  best  posted  in 
matters  there,  and  his  memoranda  were  among  the  most 
important  presented  to  the  Paris  Peace  Commission. 
On  pages  421  and  422,  Senate  Document  No.  62,  Part  2, 
under  the  head  of  ''Insurgent  Civil  Administration,"  are 
these  statements  quoted  verbatim  from  the  records  of 
the  Paris  Peace  Commission  as  reported  to  the  Senate. 

'Tn  August,  1896,  an  insurrection  broke  out  in 
Cavite  under  the  leadership  of  Emilio  Aguinaldo,  and 
soon  spread  to  other  provinces  on  both  sides  of  Manila. 
It  continued  with  varying  successes  on  both  sides,,  and 
the  trial  and  execution  of  numerous  insurgents,  until 
December,  1897,  when  the  Governor-General,  Primo  de 
Rivera,  entered  into  written  agreement  with  Aguinaldo, 
the  substance  of  the  document,  which  is  in  possession  of 
Sefior  Felipe  Agoncillo,  who  accompanies  me  to  Wash- 
ington, being  attached  hereto  and  marked  A.  In  brief, 
it  required  that  Aguinaldo  and  the  other  insurgent  lead- 
ers should  leave  the  country,  the  government  agreeing 
to  pay  them  $800,000  in  silver  and  promising  to  intro- 
duce numerous  reforms,  including  representation  in  the 
Spanish  Cortes,  freedom  of  the  press,  general  amnesty 
for  all  insurgents,  and  the  expulsion  or  secularization 
of  the  monastic  orders. 

"Aguinaldo  and  his  associates  went  to  Hong  Kong 
and  Singapore.  A  portion  of  the  money,  $400,000,  was 
deposited  in  banks  at  Hong  Kong,  and  a  lawsuit  soon 


VINDICATED   BY   GENERAL   GREENE.  145 

arose  between  Aguinaldo  and  one  of  his  subordinate 
chiefs  named  Artacho  which  is  interesting  on  account 
of  the  very  honorable  position  taken  by  Aguinaldo. 
Artacho  sued  for  a  division  of  the  money  among  the 
insurgents,  according  to  rank.  Aguinaldo  claimed  that 
the  money  was  a  trust  fund,  and  was  to  remain  on  de- 
posit until  it  was  seen  whether  the  Spaniards  would 
carry  out  their  promised  reforms,  and  if  they  failed  to 
do  so,  it  was  to  be  used  to  defray  the  expenses  of  a  new 
insurrection.  The  suit  w^as  settled  out  of  court  by  pay- 
ing Artacho  $5,ooo. 

"No  steps  have  been  taken  to  introduce  the  reforms, 
more  than  2,000  insurgents,  who  have  been  deported  to 
Fernando  Po  and  other  places,  are  still  in  confinement, 
and  Aguinaldo  is  now  using  the  money  to  carry  on  the 
operations  of  the  present  insurrection. 

"On  the  24th  day  of  April  Aguinaldo  met  the  United 
States  Consul  and  others  at  Singapore  and  offered  to 
begin  a  new  insurrection  in  conjunction  with  the  opera- 
tions of  the  United  States  Navy  at  Manila.  This  was 
telegraphed  to  Admiral  Dewey,  and  by  his  consent,  or  at 
his  request,  Aguinaldo  left  Singapore  for  Hong  Kong 
on  April  26th,  and  when  the  McCulloch  went  to  Hong 
Kong  early  in  May  to  carry  the  news  of  Admiral  Dewey's 
victory,  it  took  Aguinaldo  and  seventeen  other  revolu- 
tionary chiefs  on  board  and  brought  them  to  Manila 
Bay.  They  soon  after  landed  at  Cavite,  and  the  Admiral 
allowed  them  to  take  such  guns,  ammunition,  and  stores 
as  he  did  not  require  for  himself.  With  these,  and  some 
other  arms  which  he  had  brought  from  Hong  Kong, 
Aguinaldo  armed  his  followers,  who  rapidly  assembled  at 
Cavite,  and  in  a  few  weeks  he  began  moving  against  the 
Spaniards.  Part  of  them  surrendered,  giving  him  more 
arms,  and  the  others  retreated  to  Manila." 

As  an  absolute  and  incontrovertible  proof  of  the 
truth  of  this  last  statement,  a  letter  from  our  ex-Consul 
at  Manila,  Plon.  Oscar  F.  Williams,  upon  pages  328  and 
329  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  Part  2,  reads  as  fol- 
lows: 


146      THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"U.  S.  S.  Baltimore, 
"Consulate  of  the  United  States, 

Manila  Bay,  Off  Cavite, 
"Manila,  Philippine  Islands,   May  24,   1898. 
"To  Mr.  Day. 

"Sir — I  have  the  honor  to  report  successful  efforts 
on  the  part  of  the  insurgents  of  these  islands  in  prepara- 
tion for  more  successful  war  against  Spain.  Officers 
have  visited  me  during  the  darkness  of  night  to  inform 
the  fleet  and  me  of  their  operation  and  to  report  increase 
of  strength.  At  a  conference  with  General  Aguinaldo, 
the  head  of  the  movement,  I  was  told  that  they  had  now 
about  4,500  Mauser  rifles  taken  from  the  Spaniards,  and 
had  also  abundant  ammunition.  Until  the  present  they 
have  been  fatally  crippled  in  these  respects.  Last  week 
Major  Gonzales  captured  two  buffalo  cart  loads  of  rifle 
ammunition  from  the  Spaniards.  To-day  I  executed  a 
power  of  attorney  whereby  General  Aguinaldo  releases  to 
his  attorneys  in  fact  $400,000  now  in  bank  in  Hong 
Kong,  so  that  money  therefrom  can  pay  for  3,000  stands 
of  arms  bought  there  and  expected  here  to-morrow. 
The  same  sources  informed  me  that  about  37,000  in- 
surgents stand  ready  to  aid  United  States  forces,  and 
General  Aguinaldo's  headquarters  were  this  a.  m.  at  7 
o'clock  surrounded  by  500  to  1,000  men  eager  to  enlist. 
I  was  there  at  that  hour  and  saw  the  men.  My  relations 
with  all  are  cordial,  and  I  manage  to  keep  them  so  pro 
bono  publico.  When  General  Merrit  arrives  he  will 
find  large  auxiliary  land  forces  adapted  to  his  service 
and  used  to  this  climate.     I  am,  sir, 

"Oscar  F.  WilHams, 
"United  States  Consul." 

According  to  the  official  evidence  of  Consul-General 
Wildman  of  Hong  Kong,  and  Major-General  F.  V. 
Greene  of  the  United  States  Volunteers,  as  found  in  the 
official  records  of  the  United  States,  referred  to,  only 
$400,000  in  Mexican  silver  were  ever  paid  over  to  Aguin- 
aldo by  the  Spaniards,  concerning  which  Aguinaldo 
wrote  in  his  Official  Review  of  the  Philippine  Revolu- 


VINDICATED  BY  CONSUL  WILLIAMS.  147 

tion,  after  giving  his  reasons  for  refusing  to  divide  it 
unfairly  among  a  few  leaders  like  Artacho,  saying: 

"Besides  which,  it  had  been  agreed  upon  among  the 
revolutionists  at  Biak-na-bato  that  in  case  the  Spaniards 
did  not  comply  with  the  stipulations,  the  money  pro- 
ceeding from  the  indemnification  should  not  be  divided 
up,  but  should  be  set  aside  to  purchase  arms  for  renew- 
ing the  war." 

Which  is  just  what  was  done  with  this  money,  as  can 
be  seen  by  a  reference  to  page  328  of  Senate  Document 
No.  62,  as  Consul  Williams  reported  in  his  letter  of  May 
24,  1898: 

"To-day  I  executed  a  power  of  attorney  whereby  Gen- 
eral Aguinaldo  releases  to  his  attorneys  in  fact  $400,- 

000  now  in  bank  in  Hong  Kong  so  that  money  there- 
from can  pay  for  3,000  stands  of  arms  bought  there,  and 
expected  here  to-morrow." 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  too  well  and  too  widely  known 
to  be  denied  even  by  Admiral  Dewey,  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion were  purchased  with  that  money,  conveyed  to  Ca- 
vite  and  turned  over  to  the  Filipinos,  Consul-General 
Wildman  and  Admiral  Dewey,  aiding  their  shipment  and 
delivery. 

As  soon  as  they  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
Filipinos  Aguinaldo's  ragged,  barefoot,  barely  organ- 
ized army  began  to  astonish  the  world  by  brave  battles 
agamst  the  greatest  odds,  winning  overwhelming  victo- 
ries everywhere  they  went,  over  well-armed  European 
regulars. 

Then  it  was  that  Admiral  Dewey  wrote  to  Consul- 
General  Wildman:  "Aguinaldo  is  behaving  splendidly. 
He  is  a  born  soldier,"  and  Aguinaldo,  in  gratitude,  wrote 
to  Consul  Wildman:    "Are  you  pleased  with  me?    Have 

1  kept  my  word?     Of  the  7,000  Spanish  regulars  in 
Manila  I  have  killed  2,000.    Governor  Para  of  Cavite  and 


148       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  Governor  of  Battan  are  my  prisoners.  The  provinces 
of  Cavite,  Lalaguna  and  Battan  are  mine.  The  arms  you 
sent  me  were  put  to  good  use." 

Thus  evidence  educed  from  our  own  official  records, 
and  fully  corroborated  by  the  facts  in  the  case,  which 
have  become  historic,  nails  the  lie  that  Aguinaldo  be- 
trayed his  country  to  the  Spaniards  for  a  bribe,  by  prov- 
ing that  he  bought  arms  and  ammunition  to  fight  in  co- 
operation with  the  forces  of  the  United  States  for  the 
freedom  of  his  country,  as  he  supposed,  against  the 
Spaniards,  "our  common  enemy,"  with  the  very  money 
which  he  has  been  cruelly  accused  of  taking  as  a  bribe 
from  them  for  betraying  his  country  to  them. 

Lies,  like  boomerangs,  are  apt  to  beat  a  back  track! 

To  corroborate  the  United  States  official  records  al- 
ready quoted  from  we  will  refer  to  the  official  records 
of  the  Spanish  government  as  regards  Aguinaldo's 
actions  at  the  time  of  the  so-called  bribery.  In  an  ad- 
dress before  the  Cortes  the  Marques  de  Estella  declared, 
on  August  12,  1899: 

"I  have  in  my  possession  documents  which  will  show 
great  frauds  perpetrated  by  our  government.  The  first 
is  a  cable  dispatch  from  the  Governor-General  of  the 
Philippines  to  the  President  of  the  Council  of  Ministers, 
and  is  dated  at  Manila,  October  7,  1897.  It  reads  as 
follows : 

"  Tending  resolutions  of  the  government  on  my  tele- 
gram of  the  5th  instant,  duty  to  my  country  and  my 
position  oblige  me  to  manifest  that  I  have  two  ways  open 
to  make  peace  in  the  archipelago.  First,  I  can  buy  for 
$1,700,000  the  chiefs  and  their  rebellious  followers,  mak- 
ing them  return  their  arms  and  our  deserters  to  the  dis- 
ciplinary corps,  for  propositions  made  to  Paterno  and 
others,  and  to  be  taken  as  salvatory  by  the  high  func- 
tionaries whom  I  consulted,  and  accepted  by  me,  after 
sacrificing  my  prestige  and  military  affection. 


VINDICATED  BY   SPANISH  RECORDS.  149 

"  The  payments  to  be  made  in  installments — first 
payment  upon  the  surrender  of  Aguinaldo,  with  the 
major  part  of  his  followers;. second  payment  four  months 
after  the  surrender  of  Aguinaldo  and  all  his  followers; 
third  payment  when  peace  is  assured. 

'*  "This  money  will  be  used  by  Aguinaldo  and  his  fol- 
lowers to  indemnify  ruined  families,  destitute  widows, 
and  to  emigrate,  and  buy  the  soldiers.  This  plan  can  be 
realized  through  the  Archbishop,  the  director  of  the 
bank.  General  Castilla,  by  the  General  Secretary,  or  by 
persons  who  may  be  designated  by  your  Excellency. 
This  plan  has  been  approved  by  authorities  in  this  coun- 
try of  great  reputation,  whom  I  have  consulted,  who 
are  known  by  their  spirit  and  distinguished  by  their  pa- 
triotic enthusiasm,  and  also  by  the  eminent  and  virtuous 
Archbishop  of  Manila. 

**  The  second  way  is  to  fight,  and  to  try  and  vanquish 
the  enemy  by  the  force  of  arms.' 

"On  the  15th  of  October  the  President  of  the  Council 
of  Ministers  authorized  the  Gavernor-General  of  Manila 
to  make  the  deal,  leaving  him  carte  blanche  in  the  mat- 
ter. Now,  then,  comes  in  the  fraud.  The  Marques 
Primo  de  Rivera  was  authorized  to  buy  peace  with  the 
Filipinos  for  the  sum  of  $1,700,000,  under  conditions 
made  to  the  insurgents.  But  only  $600,000  was  ex- 
pended in  this  way,  showing  a  deficiency  of  $1,100,000, 
which  has  been  economized  to  the  government  by  the 
Governor-General  by  his  prudent  management.  Now, 
where  is  that  money? 

*To  Aguinaldo  at  Hong  Kong  was  turned  over  the 
draft  of  $400,000  in  the  first  days  of  January,  1898,  and 
upon  his  return  to  the  Philippines  the  insurgents,  with 
a  nucleus  of  the  insurrection,  surrendered,  and  $200,- 
000  was  paid  to  Mr.  Paterno,  which  makes  a  total  of 
$600,000 

"Now,  here  comes  in  the  perfidy  of  the  transaction. 
Aguinaldo  proved  recreant  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him; 
he  did  not  fulfill  the  conditions  of  the  deed,  but  bought, 
with  the  money  received  from  Spain,  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion to  further  prosecute  the  war  against  this  country. 
Now,  if  all  this  be  true,  why  does  there  not  appear  of 


I50       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

record  this  sum  of  $1,100,000  which  has  not  been  ex- 
pended, either  in  the  archives  of  the  War  department, 
of  the  Treasury  department,  or  of  the  Department  of  the 
Colonies?    Where  has  this  money  gone?" 

In  regard  to  the  balance  of  the  indemnity  money  which 
was  never  paid  to  the  Filipinos  as  promised  in  their 
official  records  already  referred  to  and  quoted  from, 
Aguinaldo  stated,  in  his  "Authentic  Review  of  the 
Philippine  Revolution,"  that  in  reply  to  Admiral 
Dewey's  questions  as  to  a  commission  coming  to  him 
with  terms  and  offering  the  Filipinos  autonomy  from 
Spain  if  they  would  espouse  the  cause  of  the  Spaniards 
as  against  the  Americans,  he  answered  "that  such  a  com- 
mission had  come  and  stated  to  him  that  on  condition 
that  the  autonomy  was  accepted.  General  Augustin  and 
Archbishop  Nozaleda  would  concede  to  me  my  rank  as 
General,  and  to  my  othor  companions  the  positions  which 
they  then  held,  giving  me  one  million  dollars,  the  rest  of 
the  indemnification  money  due  from  the  treaty  of  Biak- 
na-bato,  besides  large  recompense  and  salaries  for  the 
members  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  promises 
which  even  the  commissioners  themselves  did  not  be- 
lieve in,  although  some  were  of  the  opinion  that  I 
should  accept  the  money  in  order  to  get  that  sum  from 
the  treasury  of  the  Spanish  government,  as  it  had  been 
taken  kom  the  pockets  of  the  Filipinos." 

The  Marques  de  Estella,  in  his  address  to  the  Span- 
ish Cortes,  after  he  had  read  the  dispatch  from  Governor- 
General  Primo  de  Rivera,  continued  as  follows: 

"Two  days  later,  on  the  9th  of  October  (1897),  the 
Secretary  of  the  Council  answered,  saying  that  the  Coun- 
cil of  Ministers  were  considering  the  project  and  would 
reply  as  soon  as  possible.  Four  days  later,  after  the 
Liberal  party  had  come  into  power,  the  President  of  the 
Council  sent  another    message    to    Manila,  asking  to 


MR.  McKINLEY  MISSTATES.  151 

specify  the  authorities  who  had  approved  of  this  plan, 
how  much  money  was  needed  to  consummate  the 
scheme,  and  that  a  detailed  account  of  the  desired  in- 
stallments should  be  given.  On  the  same  date  the  Gov- 
ernor-General answered  the  Council  of  Ministers,  stat- 
ing the  conditions  to  be  as  follows : 

"  'Seven  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  be  paid  upon 
the  surrender  of  Aguinaldo,  the  greater  part  of  his  fol- 
lowers, and  the  deserters  in  arms;  a  second  installment 
of  $500,000  four  months  later,  when  the  remainder  of 
his  followers  had  given  up  their  arms  and  surrendered; 
and,  lastly,  two  months  later,  the  other  $500,000  when 
peace  should  be  assured/" 

Thus  the  records  of  the  Spanish  Cortes  corroborate 
Aguinaldo's  accounts  of  these  occurrences,  any  dis- 
crepancies in  cash  accounts  representing  an  official 
"rake-off." 

Notwithstanding  this  three-fold  evidence  of  American, 
Spanish  and  Filipino  official  records,  two  months  later 
Mr.  McKinley  is  reported  to  have  made  the  following 
statement  in  his  speech  at  Fargo,  North  Dakota^  Octo- 
ber 13,  1899: 

"The  leader  of  the  insurgent  forces  says  to  the  Ameri- 
can government,  'You  can  have  peace,  if  you  will  give 
us  independence.'  Peace  for  independence,  he  says.  He 
had  another  price  for  peace  once  before,  but  the  United 
States  pays  no  gold  for  peace.  We  never  gave  a  bribe 
for  peace  in  all  our  history." 

The  following  "special,"  much  to  the  point,  was  pub- 
lished in  the  "Chicago  Tribune"  September  15,  1899: 

"Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  14. — It  is  stated  on  au- 
thority that  the  Schurman  Peace  Commission  offered 
every  possible  inducement  short  of  absolute  self-gov- 
ernment to  Aguinaldo  and  his  followers.  Aguinaldo 
was  promised,  as  the  price  for  the  restoration  of  peace 
in  the  Tagalo  tribe,  a  bonus  of  more  than  $5,000  a 
year  while  the  Tagalos  remained  peaceful.    He  was  told 


152       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

that  he  could  choose  men  from  his  tribe  for  the  minor 
municipal  offices. 

"The  commission,  it  is  asserted,  went  so  far  as  to 
promise  Aguinaldo  the  moral  support  of  the  United 
States  government,  if  such  were  needed,  to  make  his 
leadership  of  the  Tagalos  thoroughly  secure. 

''With  all  these  inducements,  tempting  as  they  must 
have  been,  Aguinaldo,  as  the  recognized  head  of  the 
insurgent  movement,  declined  to  yield.  He  insisted 
upon  immediate  self-government,  and,  as  his  insistence 
was  so  firm  as  to  make  an  agreement  impossible,  the 
American  Commissioners  ceased  negotiations." 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
THE  SULU   SULTANATE. 

Upon  pages  153  and  154  of  General  Otis'  official 
report  of  August  31,  1899,  is  a  letter  addressed  by  him 
to  Gen.  J.  C.  Bates. 

After  stating  that  General  Bates  was  "constituted  an 
agent"  of  the  United  States  to  negotiate  with  the  Sultan 
of  Sulu,  according  to  certain  memoranda  furnished  him, 
which  evidently  were  patterned  after  Spanish  policy  in 
the  past,  including  a  recognition  of  Mohammedanism, 
slavery  and  polygamy,  he  added: 

"The  Moros  acknowledged  through  their  accepted 
chiefs  Spanish  sovereignty  and  their  subjection  thereto, 
and  that  nation  in  turn  conferred  upon  their  chiefs  cer- 
tain powers  of  supervision  over  them  and  their  affairs. 
The  kingly  prerogatives  of  Spain,  thus  abridged  by  sol- 
emn concession,  have  descended  to-  the  United  States 
and  conditions  existing  at  the  time  of  transfer  remain." 

These  "conditions,"  it  seems,  were  agreed  upon  in 
1878,  and  that  "agreement"  was  accordingly  taken  as  a 
basis  for  General  Bates'  remarkable  treaty  as  follows: 

"You  will  therefore  acquaint  yourself  thoroughly  with 


SLAVERY  IN  THE  SULUS.  153 

the  terms  of  the  agreement  of  1878  and  take  them  as 
a  basis  for  your  directed  negotiations."     *     *     * 

'The  United  States  will  accept  the  obHgations  of 
Spain  under  the  agreement  of  1878  in  the  matter  of 
money  annuities  and  in  proof  of  sincerity  you  will  offer 
as  a  present  (?)  to  the  Sultan  and  datos  $10,000,  Mexi- 
can, with  which  you  will  be  supplied  before  leaving  for 
Jolo — the  same  to  be  handed  over  to  them  respectively 
in  amounts  agreeing  with  the  ratio  of  payments  made 
to  them  by  the  Spanish  government  for  their  de- 
clared services.  From  the  first  of  September  next 
and  thereafter,  the  United  States  will  pay  to  them  regu- 
larly the  sums  promised  by  Spain  in  its  agreement  of 
1878,  and  in  any  subsequent  promises  of  which  proof 
can  be  furnished  *  *  *  and  will  declare  all  trade 
of  the  Sultan  and  his  people  with  any  portion  of  the 
Philippine  islands,  conducted  under  the  American  flag, 
free,  unlimited  and  undutiable." 

Yet  Mr.  McKinley  declared:  "We  never  gave  a 
bribe,"  etc.! 

The  treaty  between  the  United  States  of  America  and 
the  Sultan  of  Sulu  already  referred  to  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  peace  and  protection  of  slavery,  polygamy  and 
Mohammedanism,  under  the  barbarous  rule  of  his  royal 
highness  and  shelter  of  the  stars  and  stripes,  provides: 

"Article  i — The  sovereignty  of  the  United  States  over 
the  whole  archipelago  of  Sulu  and  its  dependencies  is 
declared  acknowledged. 

"Article  2 — The  United  States  flag  will  be  used  in 
the  archipelago  of  Sulu  and  its  dependencies  on  land 
and  sea. 

"Article  3 — The  rights  and  dignities  of  his  highness, 
the  Sultan,  and  his  datos,  shall  be  fully  respected;  the 
Moros  shall  not  be  interfered  with  on  account  of  their 
religion;  all  their  religious  customs  shall  be  respected, 
and  no  one  shall  be  persecuted  on  account  of  his  religion. 

"Article  10 — Any  slave  in  the  archipelago  of  Sulu  shall 
have  the  right  to  purchase  freedom  by  paying  to  the 
master  the  usual  market  value." 


154       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  13th  amendment  to  tlie  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States  declares  that  "Neither  slav- 
ery nor  involuntary  servitude,  except  as  a  punishment 
for  crime,  whereof  the  party  shall  have  been  duly  con- 
victed, shall  exist  within  the  United  States  or  any  place 
subject  to  their  jurisdiction." 

"Article  15 — The  United  States  government  will  pay 
the  following  monthly  salaries  (?): 

To  the  Sultan $250 

To  Dato  Rajah  Muda 75 

To  Dato  Attik 60 

To  Dato  Caibi 75 

To  Dato  Joakanain 75 

To  Dato  Puyo 60 

To  Dato  Amir  Hussin 60 

To  Hadji  Butu 50 

To  Habib  Mura 40 

To  Serif  Saguin 15 

Total  monthly  salaries  (?) $760 

Slavery  in  the  Sulus  under  "the  sovereignty  of  the 
United  States"  is  certainly  contrary  to  the  clause  in  our 
Constitution  prohibiting  it  in  "any  place  subject  to  their 
jurisdiction,"  and  its  continuation  under  our  flag  of  free- 
dom is  as  infamous  as  was  the  opposition  of  our  gov- 
ernment to  the  war  for  freedom  in  Cuba  and  as  is  its 
prosecution  of  the  present  war  against  freedom  in  the 
Philippines. 

It  is  contrary  to  the  Constitution,  conscience  and  con- 
stituency of  America  and  must  give  way  before  the 
mandates  of  our  people  if  we  are  to  be  worthy  of  the 
name  of  a  Christian  nation. 

This  treaty,  recognizing,  permitting  and  perpetuating 
despotism,  polygamy  and  slavery  in  the  Sulus,  was  signed 
at  Jolo,  P.  I.,  on  the  20th  of  August,  1899. 

Within  less  than  one  week  thereafter  Mr.  McKinley 


McCUTCHEON  ON  MOROS.  155 

made  the  following  beautiful  remarks  at  Ocean  Grove, 
N.  J.,  on  July  25^,  1899: 

"I  believe  that  there  is  more  love  for  our  country,  and 
that  more  people  love  our  flag  than  ever  before.  Where- 
ever  that  flag  is  raised  it  stands,  not  for  despotism  and 
oppression,  but  for  liberty,  opportunity  and  humanity, 
and  what  that  flag  has  done  for  us  we  want  it  to  do  for 
all  people,  and  all  lands  which  by  the  fortunes  of  war 
have  come  within  our  jurisdiction.  That  flag  does  not 
mean  one  thing  in  the  United  States  and  another  in  Porto 
Rico  and  the  Philippines." 

This  is  one  of  Mr.  McKinley's  beautiful  fabrications 
which  remind  us  of  the  individual  who  drew  upon  his 
imagination  for  facts  and  depended  upon  his  memory  for 
flights  of  fancy,  with  this  exception,  that  he  frequently 
falls  back  upon  his  fancy  for  both  facts  and  fiction  if 
his  speeches  are  correctly  reported,  as  we  believe. they 
are.  We  prefer  to  depend  upon  the  facts  in  the  case 
for  the  truth,  so  will  call  upon  eye  witnesses,  first  among 
them  again  being  Mr.  John  T.  McCutcheon,  whose  evi- 
dence can  be  found  in  the  "Chicago  Record"  of  Novem- 
ber I,  1899,  as  follows: 

"By  nature  the  Moro  is  a  pirate,  and  as  far  back  as 
history  goes  the  native  of  the  Sulus  was  a  recognized 
pirate  and  the  Sulu  sea  a  terror  to  mariners.  The  Moros 
preyed  on  all  the  world  outside  their  own  people,  and  the 
pursuit  was  considered  among  them  to  be  proper  and 
legitimate.  Consequently  one  can  hardly  expect  to  find 
a  very  thorough  code  of  laws  among  them.  An  arrange- 
ment existed  between  Spain  and  the  Sultan  whereby  the 
former  should  pay  an  annuity  of  $2,400  (Mexican)  to  the 
Sultan,  and  annuities  ranging  from  $15  to  $100  (Mexi- 
can) to  the  dattos  and  advisers.  The  British  North 
Borneo  Company  paid  the  Sultan  $5,000  a  year.  These 
amounts  were  paid  as  bribes  or  tributes  to  preserve  peace 
and  quiet,  and  were,  in  my  judgment,  thoroughly  com- 
mendable, although  if  the  arrangement  is  continued  by 


156       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  United  States  the  expenditure  will  probably  be  put 
in  the  budget  'for  services  rendered'  to  escape  the  accu- 
sation of  bribery.  It  was  a  good  arrangement,  for  a  bag- 
ful of  dobe  dollars  carries  infinitely  more  weight  with 
the  thrifty  savage  than  a  thousand  assurances  of  'be- 
nevolent assimilation.'  It  will  save  scores  of  lives  and 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars,  make  the  native  con- 
tented and  happy  and  insure  a  lasting  peace. 

'The  religion  of  the  people  of  the  archipelago  is  Mo- 
hammedan, pagan  and  Christian.  Nearly  all  the  Moros 
are  devout  Mohammedans,  and  this  faith  may  safely  be 
said  to  include  75  per  cent  of  the  population  of  the  is- 
lands. In  the  mountainous  districts  of  some  of  the 
islands,  however,  there  are  wild,  long-haired  savages  who 
worship  pagan  gods.  The  percentage  of  these  is  com- 
paratively small.  The  Christian  element  is  composed  of 
Visayan  and  Tagalo  deportados,  who  have  been  sent  as 
convicts  to  these  islands. 

"The  Moros  guard  their  religion  more  jealously  than 
any  other  institution.  They  would  resent  any  interfer- 
ence in  the  faith  more  quickly  than  anything  else,  and  one 
thing  above  all  others  which  will  insure  peace  between 
our  country  and  the  Moros  will  be  the  restriction  of 
American  missionaries. 

'The  Mohammedan  religion  allows  a  man  four  wives. 
The  marriages  are  performed  by  priests,  and  a  man  can- 
not marry  a  woman  if  she  strongly  objects.  I  was  un- 
able to  learn  just  how  much  the  woman  could  object  and 
still  be  married,  but  I  presume  there  is  a  certain  fixed 
degree  of  protest  which  the  suitor  must  regard  as  a  re- 
jection of  his  proposal.  When  a  man  has  more  than  one 
wife  he  lives  a  week  with  each  one,  and  by  this  rigid 
observance  of  impartiality  he  manages  to  maintain  peace 
in  the  family. 

"A  man  can  easily  divorce  his  wife  by  merely  return- 
ing her  to  her  parents  or  guardian  and  stating  that  he 
will  be  no  longer  responsible  for  her.  She  is  then  di- 
vorced, and  cannot  marry  again  for  three  months  and 
four  days.  If  she  becomes  a  widow  the  punishment  is 
greater,  for  she  is  then  obliged  to  wait  four  months  and 
four  days  before  again  marrying.    The  man,  in  the  first 


SLAVERY  IN  THE  SULUS.  157 

instance  of  course,  can  immediately  remarry  if  he  desires. 
Datto  Jokanine  has  four  wives,  the  limit,  as  well  as  a 
number  of  slaves. 

"Slavery  exists  on  the  islands,  and  is  apt  to  be  the  most 
difficult  problem  we  will  have  to  solve,  for  the  Moros 
will  rebel  against  the  abolition  of  such  an  ancient  insti- 
tution, while  the  United  States  will  doubtless  find  slavery 
inconsistent  in  one  of  her  colonies. 

"There  are  about  2,000  slaves  on  the  island  of  Sulu. 
I  was  unable  to  find  the  approximate  number  on  the 
other  islands,  but  probably  there  are  as  many  more. 
A  slave  is  worth  about  $40  Mexican,  although  the  price 
depends  largely  upon  the  age  and  sex  of  the  slave. 

"Slaves  are  acquired  in  two  or  three  ways — by  direct 
purchase,  by  inheritance  and  as  payment  of  debt.  Most 
slaves  are  hereditary.  The  owner  wills  them  to  his  son, 
and  all  children  borne  by  women  in  bondage  become 
the  property  of  the  owner  of  the  slave  mother. 

"It  is  a  custom  of  countries  in  the  East  to  pay  to  a 
slave-owner  the  price  of  a  slave  if  the  latter  runs  away 
and  asks  to  be  free.  The  slave  is  then  worked  by  the 
government  until  he  works  out  the  amount  paid  for  him. 
The  slave  then  becomes  free  and  the 'previous  owner 
cannot  reclaim  him. 

"According  to  this  custom  the  slave  does  work  up  to 
the  amount  of  $40  and  wins  his  freedom.  If  this  amount 
is  not  paid  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  the  government 
can  hold  him  until  the  end  of  the  third  year,  when  he 
is  given  his  freedom. 

"Practically  the  same  system  exists  here  in  the  East  as 
in  Mexico,  for  the  arrangement  is  very  similar  to  the 
peon  system.  If  a  peon  fails  to  work  off  his  debt  while 
h'e  lives,  his  children  become  peons  until  the  debt  is  paid. 
"Crimes  among  the  Moros  are  punishable  according 
to  fixed  penalties  in  most  cases,  but  occasionally  the 
datto,  if  he  happens  to  be  in  an  unpleasant  humor,  varies 
the  punishment  a  bit.  Murder  is  punishable  by  a  fine 
of  $105  Mexican.  No  Moro  is  allowed  by  his  religion 
to  lay  his  hand  on  a  strange  woman.  If  he  does  so  in 
the  daytime  he  is  fined  $8,  and  if  at  night  $10.  Horse 
stealing  and  cattle  stealing  are  punished  severely.   Other 


158       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

forms  of  stealing  are  punished  according  to  the  previous 
record  of  the  criminal.  If  his  record  is  bad  he  comes 
under  the  classification  of  'habitual  criminal/  and  the 
probability  is  that  his  wife  will  have  a  chance  to  marry 
again  in  four  months  and  four  days. 

'*A  case  happened  a  week  before  I  arrived  in  Jolo  which 
illustrated  how  a  habitual  robber  fared.  The  Datto  Jo- 
kanine  is  a  man  of  some  wealth,  which  he  keeps  buried 
beneath  his  house.  Frequently  he  has  occasion  to  send 
to  various  parts  of  his  domain  for  money  as  tribute,  and 
at  these  times  he  has  always  sent  one  of  his  trusted  fol- 
lowers. 

"One  day  some  time  ago  this  man  was  sent  to  bring  the 
datto  a  certain  sum  of  money,  but  when  the  bag  was 
handed  to  the  datto  the  trusted  follower  flung  himself 
on  his  knees  and  confessed  that  he  had  lost  part  of  it 
in  gambling.  He  kissed  the  datto's  hands  and  implored 
forgiveness  and  promised  never  to  do  so  again,  and  said 
that  he  was  overwhelmed  with  grief  and  humiliation,  etc. 

"The  datto  forgave  him,  but  told  him  never  to  Jet  it 
happen  again,  for  if  it  did  the  punishment  would  be'swift 
and  terrible. 

"Well,  it  happened  again  on  the  very  next  trip  on 
which  the  trusted  follower  was  sent  for  money.  Once 
more  there  were  lamentations  and  appeals  and  vows  of 
eternal  reformation. 

"  Didn't  I  tell  you  that  I  would  punish  you  severely 
the  next  time  this  happened?'  said  the  datto.  'Didn't 
I  warn  you  that  you  would  be  killed?  What  do  you 
mean?'  etc.,  etc.,  thundered  the  datto,  as  he  glared  at  the 
penitent  bootlick  at  his  feet. 

"  *0  most  gracious  prince,  sun  of  suns,  king  of  the  uni- 
verse,' etc.,  etc.,  wailed  the  hapless  subject  as  he 
squirmed  and  cringed  beneath  the  datto's  lowering  gaze. 
It  was  a  long  session  that  time,  with  the  scales  waver- 
ing throughout  it  all,  but  in  the  end  the  datto  said  that 
he'd  give  him  another  chance. 

"And  now  comes  the  part  of  the  story  which  illustrates 
how  great  are  the  fascinations  of  gambling.  When  the 
trusted  follower  went  again  for  money  for  his  master 
he  looked  in  on  a  little  game,  and,  forgetful  of  his  dire 


LITTLE  ON  MOROS.  159 

experiences  in  the  past,  he  plunged  sufficiently  long  to 
lighten  his  load  of  'dobe  dollars. 

'Instead  of  running  away,  he  went  back  to  the  datto 
and  confessed  to  his  shortage. 

"This  time  there  was  no  argument  on  either  side.  The 
datto  turned  to  one  of  his  guards  and  ordered  him  to 
slay  the  trusted  follower.  He  then  asked  if  the  victim 
wished  to  be  blindfolded  or  had  any  short  remarks  to 
make.  As  the  latter  saw  no  necessity  for  the  one  and 
no  use  in  the  other,  he  said  something  to  the  efifect  of 
'never  mind  the  guard.'  ..An  instant  later  a^barong  sunk 
into  his  stomach,  almost  dissecting  him,  and  the  punish- 
ment was  over." 

Mr.  R.  H.  Little  wrote  for  the  Chicago  Tribune  of 
September  8,  1899,  as  follows  concerning  the  Sulus: 

"In  Sulu  of  Jolo,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  where  Gen- 
eral Bates  has  gone,  the  Spaniards  were  never  able  to 
collect  taxes  or  do  more  than  maintain  at  great  cost 
one  or  two  military  posts.  Consequently  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Moros  will  be  one  of  the  most  perplexing 
questions  that  Congress  will  have  to  deal  with  in  the 
adjusting  of  the  affairs  of  the  various  islands  of  the  Phil- 
ippines. 

"The  Moros  are  Mohammedans  and  have  all  their  pe- 
culiar customs,  including  harems,  juramentados,  slaves, 
and  other  doubtful  luxuries  not  considered,  nor  indorsed 
by  the  constitution  of  the  United  States.  The  Moros 
have  as  many  wives  as  they  choose.  Slavery  exists  in 
its  widest  scope.  There  are  slaves  by  birth  and  by  con- 
quest, such  as  are  seized  in  battle  or  on  piratical  excur- 
sions, or  insolvent  debtors. 

"The  peculiar  religious  notions  which  are  liable  at  any 
moment  to  transfer  an  amiable  Moro  into  a  juramentado 
is  also  something  that  will  tend  to  make  these  people 
bothersome  wards.  A  juramentado  is  a  man  who  has 
taken  a  solemn  oath  to  die  killing  Christians.  The  Mo- 
hammedan Moros  believe  that  one  who  does  this  goes 
straight  to  the  seventh  heaven  and  into  the  presence  of 
the  great  prophet  himself. 


l6o       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"To  gain  this  great  reward  Moros  frequently  shave 
their  eyebrows,  bathe  in  a  sacred  spring,  and,  putting  on 
robes  of  white,  underneath  which  are  concealed  heavy 
knives,  seek  the  nearest  town  where  there  are  Christians 
and  run  amuck.  The  only  way  to  stop  them  is  by  killing 
them,  for  as  long  as  they  can  raise  their  hands  they  will 
strike  and  stab,  as  they  believe  that  every  Christian  that 
they  kill  insures  them  just  so  much  more  glory  in 
heaven. 

"Many  instances  are  told  by  the  Spaniards  of  juramen- 
tados  who  had  been  impaled  upon  a  bayonet,  seizing  the 
gun  barrel  to  which  the  bayonet  was  fastened,  and  by 
pulling  it  forward  drive  the  knife  deeper  into  their  bodies 
to  bring  them  within  striking  range  of  the  enemy. 

"American  army  officers  are  afraid  that  a  Krag-Jor- 
gensen  bullet,  which,  unless  it  strikes  a  vital  spot,  will 
not  always  incapacitate  a  man  from  fighting,  would  prove 
of  little  avail  in  stopping  a  headlong  rush  of  crazed  jura- 
mentados.  They  advocate  arming  the  troops  in  Sulu 
with  Springfield  rifles  or  furnishing  them  with  the  dum- 
dum bullet  as  absolutely  necessary  in  a  warfare  against 
fanatics. 

"As  for  slavery,  the  institution  is  so  deep-rooted  in 
Sulu  that  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  would 
hardly  properly  cover  the  islands.  It  is  highly  probable 
that  owing  to  the  conditions  in  Sulu  the  United  States 
may  not,  for  some  time  at  least,  claim  more  than  the 
right  of  a  protectorate  or  suzerainty  over  the  islands  in- 
habited by  the  Moros  and  that  no  attempt  will  be  made 
to  interfere  with  their  customs." 

Under  date  of  Manila,  April  23,  1900,  Mr.  McCutcheon 
wrote  a  letter  appearing  in  The  Chicago  Record  of  Au- 
gust 17,  in  which  he  said: 

**From  my  personal  experiences  with  the  Filipinos — 
experiences  covering  the  greater  part  of  two  years  and 
the  larger  part  of  the  Philippines  and  the  Sulus — I  have 
reached  several  deductions  which  at  present  I  think  are 
tolerably  well  founded.  Perhaps  if  I  had  time  I  would 
change  or  remodel  them. 


FILIPINO  ENLIGHTENMENT.  l6l 

"The  first  is  that  I  hke  the  FiUpinos.  From  the  very 
first  I  have  met  with  hospitahty  and  kindness  from  them 
in  every  part  of  the  islands.  On  nearly  all  of  these  occa- 
sions the  people  have  had  no  other  reason  to  be  courteous 
and  friendly  except  the  impulse  of  inherent  hospitahty. 
About  the  only  Filipinos  I  have  had  cause  to  disapprove 
of  were  the  cab  drivers  in  Manila,  together  with  various 
house  boys  who  at  one  time  or  another  transferred  my 
watch,  money  and  other  valuables  from  my  home  in 
Manila  to  some  unknown  place  either  in  Manila  or  out 
of  Manila.    These  I  dislike. 

"But  in  most  of  my  experiences  with  Filipinos  in  Ma- 
nila and  nearly  all  the  provinces  I  have  met  a  uniform 
degree  of  courtesy,  which,  whether  assumed  or  natural, 
has  prepossessed  me  in  their  favor.  There  has  never 
been  a  house,  however  small,  or  a  family,  however  poor, 
which  has  not  hospitably  placed  itself  at  my  service  when 
conditions  rendered  such  service  most  opportune  and 
grateful. 

"Another  conclusion  Fve  reached  is  that  a  higher  state 
of  education  exists  in  the  Philippines,  excepting,  of 
course,  the  Igorrotes,  Negritos  and  Moros,  than  one  can 
find  in  any  other  oriental  country.  From  Albay  province 
to  Aparri  you  will  find  the  greater  part  of  the  people  uni- 
formly able  to  read  and  write;  you  will  find  substantial 
stone  buildings  and  imposing  churches  and  schools  in  the 
most  remote  sections.  A  trip  up  the  Ilocos  coast  is  a 
revelation  to  the  traveler,  for  he  will  find  the  valleys  high- 
ly cultivated,  the  cities  large  and  imposing  and  the  people 
normally  peaceful  and  fairly  industrious. 

"The  same  conditions  will  be  found  existing  in  all  sec- 
tions of  Luzon.  You  will  find  pianos  where  you  have 
been  led  to  expect  breechcloths  and  savagery.  You  will 
find  well-dressed  people  reading  the  native  newspapers, 
and  men  who  will  discuss  with  you  intelligently  the  prob- 
lems of  the  islands.  Only  in  the  remote  mountain  dis- 
tricts will  you  find  the  half-naked  savage  who  is  used  in 
the  American  comic  weeklies  to  represent  the  typical 
Filipino.  For  this  state  of  comparative  enlightenment 
the  church  is  responsible,  for  whatever  we  may  say  of 
the  methods  of  the  friars  we  must  acknowledge  that  they 


l62       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

have  done  a  great  work  in  educating  the  people — leaving 
the  price  out  of  the  question. 

''Another  conclusion  I've  reached  is  that  with  proper 
training  the  Filipino  may  be  developed  into  a  good  man 
in  any  branch  of  business.  He  is  receptive  and  imitative. 
I  have  seen  most  excellent  maps  and  draughtings  made 
by  Filipinos.  In  the  big  banks  and  business  houses  high 
positions  are  held  by  them,  and  on  the  railway  and  steam- 
ship lines  there  are  dozens  of  splendid  native  engineers 
and  mechanics.  In  music,  art,  sculpture,  medicine,  law 
and  literature;  in  technical  vocations,  such  as  architec- 
ture, wood  carving,  weaving,  masonry,  electricity  and 
mechanical  engineering;  in  sports,  such  as  horse  racing, 
cock  fighting,  boat  racing,  fencing,  bicycling  and  various 
native  sports,  and  in  all  sorts  of  clerical  work  there  are 
many  examples  showing  what  may  be  made  of  the  raw 
material  if  properly  taught. 

The  fact  that,  to  these  civilized,  Christianized,  enlight- 
ened Filipinos,  longing  for  liberty  under  their  own  chosen 
leaders,  the  right  of  self-government  under  republican 
institutions,  has  been  ruthlessly  denied,  while  to  savage, 
slaveholding,polygamous  Mohammedan  tribes  it  has  been 
granted,  with  full  guarantee  against  any  interference  with 
most  abhorrent  and  barbarous  practices,  contrary  to  the 
conscience  and  constitution  of  our  country,  is  proof  posi- 
tive that  it  is  not  for  lack  of  fitness  for,  or  justice  in  grant- 
ing to  them  self-government,  that  this  right  is  denied  to 
them  by  the  political  leaders  temporarily  in  power,  but 
because  by  conquering  and  controlling  the  civilized  ele- 
ments they  expect  to  increase,  together  with  trade,  their 
political  power,  and  plunder,  while  it  might  cost  more 
than  it  would  come  to  in  cash,  comfort,  or  official  advan- 
tages to  crush  out  human  slavery,  human  sacrifices  and 
certain  other  ''religious  customs"  or  "rights/*  which  are 
held  as  sacred  by  American  mercenaries  whose  only  God 


SCHURMAN    SCORES   JUDGES.  163 

is  gold,  whose  creed  is  greed,  and  whose  policy  is  hy- 
pocrisy incited  by  plunder. 

Speaking  of  this  class  of  men  in  his  address  before  the 
Union  League  Club  of  Chicago,  delivered  on  Washing- 
ton's birthday,  February  22,  1900,  at  the  Auditorium  in 
that  city.  President  Schurman  of  the  first  Philippine 
Peace  Commission  said  of  them: 

"I  must  say  a  word  about  the  jingoes.  Now  the  jin- 
goes are  a  sect  who  hold  that  everything  is  ours  that  we 
can  lay  our  hands  on;  and  that  other  people  have  no 
rights  which  we  need  respect.  Their  philosophy  of  the 
Philippine  question  is  exceedingly  simple.  It  is  this: 
Greed  in  their  hearts,  gold  in  the  Philippines,  and  God 
in  heaven  to  satisfy  the  appetite  with  its  desired  object. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  archipelago,  of  whom  there  are 
some  8,000,000,  never  enter  into  their  calculations,  or  if 
they  do  it  is  simply  as  material  for  exploitation  or  food  for 
bullets.  Eight  million  Filipinos  with  no  legal  or  moral 
rights  that  we  need  to  consider!  Eight  million  immortal 
souls  to  be  treated  as  mere  chattels!  Yet  this  is  the  gos- 
pel of  the  jingoes.  *  *  *  The  American  people  will 
in  due  time  punish  them  for  their  infamy." 

Since  this  is  infamy,  as  he  says,  and  as  it  assuredly  is, 
why  allow  it  any  longer?  Why  not  stop  it  at  once? 
When  will  the  time  be  due  to  stop  it,  if  not  now? 

It  is  always  time  to  right  a  wrong.  The  time  is  over- 
due! 


CHAPTER  XXII. 
SOLDIERS  DISSATISFIED. 

Referring  very  briefly  to  another  of  the  illusions  or 
delusions  of  this  Philippine  war,  we  turn  to  the  official 
records  again. 

Upon  page  44  of  General  E.  S.  Otis'  official  report  of 
August  31,  1899,  he  said: 


l64       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

'Individual  applications  for  discharge  became  numer- 
ous, and  on  December  15  (1898)  I  forwarded  to  the 
Adjutant  General  of  the  army  the  following  communica- 
tion." He  then  refers  to  applications  for  discharge  and 
says:  "They  refer  to  paragraph  2,  General  Orders  No. 
40,  current  series,  and  think  the  present  cessation  of 
active  hostilities  between  the  United  States  and  Spain  is 
'the  close  of  the  war'  within  the  meaning  of  the  para- 
graph, and  hence  these  numerous  individual  applications. 
*  *  *  The  number  of  these  applicants  indicates  the 
desire  of  the  enlisted  men  of  the  command  to  escape  the 
country,  and  shows  how  difficult  it  is  to  hold  them  in 
condition  of  contented  discipline.  *  *  *  Under 
present  exigencies  I  am  obliged  to  disapprove  of  all  these 
applications.  '  But,  notwithstanding  the  desire  to  hold 
the  volunteers  as  above  expressed  (and  it  was  necessary 
to  hold  them  or  no  army  would  remain),  I  continue  to 
believe  that  we  might  overcome  difficulties  without  resort 
to  force." 

Upon  page  83  of  this  same  report  General  Otis,  in  a 
letter  intended  as  a  statement  of  the  situation  for  the 
mixed  commission  of  Americans  and  Filipinos,  appointed 
in  January,  1899,  to  confer  for  the  purpose  of  preserving 
peaceful  relations,  states  concerning  volunteers : 

"I  decline  to  return  them,  so  long  as  we  are  threat- 
ened with  hostilities." 

An  Associated  Press  dispatch  dated  ''Manila,  April  7, 
1899,  via  Hong  Kong,"  read:  "A  majority  of  the  United 
States  volunteers  are  eager  to  return  home,  and  'we  did 
not  enlist  to  fight  niggers/  is  a  remark  that  is  constantly 
heard.       *       *       * 

"The  volunteers  construe  their  enlistment  'to  the  close 
of  the  war'  to  apply  to  the  war  with  Spain,  and  wish  to 
be  relieved  by  regulars." 

Governor  Lind  of  Minnesota  received  the  following 
cablegram  from  Colonel  Ames  of  the  13th  Minnesota 
Volunteers  dated  Manila,  April  15,  1899: 


SOLDIERS  DEMAND  DISCHARGE.  165 

"The  regiment  desires  to  be  ordered  home  and  mus- 
tered out  of  the  service  unanimously." 

Another  Associated  Press  dispatch,  dated  "St.  Paul, 
Minn.,  April  20th"  (1899),  stated:  ^'Governor  Lind  re- 
ceived the  following  cablegram  from  Manila  after  i 
o'clock  this  morning:  'Lind,  St.  Paul:  The  regiment 
must  be  ordered  home  and  mustered  out  of  the  service 
at  once.  Officers  of  Regiment.' 

"The  message  came  in  cipher  and  unsolicited,  and 
was  not  in  answer  to  any  inquiry  made  by  the  Governor." 

By  the  Associated  Press : 

"Washington,  D.  C.,  April  17th. — Senator  Pettigrew, 
of  South  Dakota,  has  written  a  letter  to  the  President 
requesting  the  return  of  the  South  Dakota  volunteers 
now  in  the  Philippines. 

"The  Senator  says  that  under  the  law  they  are  en- 
titled to  come  home,  and  that  they  should  not  be  re- 
tained against  their  will.  He  claims  he  has  received  re- 
quests from  119  members  of  the  South  Dakota  regi; 
ment  asking  to  be  discharged  and  sent  home. 

"Orders  were  issued  to-day  to  General  Brooke  to  dis- 
charge men  in  the  regular  army  in  Cuba  who  had  enlisted 
only  for  the  war  with  Spain. 

"Considerable  complaint  has  been  made  because  these 
men  were  not  allowed  to  return  home,  and  those  whose 
applications  were  refused  have  interested  United  States 
Senators  and  others  to  procure  their  discharge.  Under 
the  law  increasing  the  regular  army  for  the  war  with 
Spain  there  was  a  provision  that  the  enlistment  should 
be  only  during  the  war. 

"St.  Paul,  Minn.,  April  17th. — Governor  Lind  to-day 
sent  a  message  to  the  Legislature  urging  some  action 
looking  toward  the  speedy  return  from  Manila  of  the  13th 
Minnesota  Volunteers.  He  says  that  all  appeals  to  that 
end  addressed  to  the  President  and  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment have  been  ignored,  save  in  a  few  individual  cases 
that  were  influenced  by  partisanship.  He  says  the  volun- 
teers are  being  held  contrary  to  law  and  that  he  has  been 


l66       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

notified  by   Colonel  Ames   that    the    regiment  desires 
unanimously  to  return  home." 

Governor  Andrew  E.  Lee,  of  South  Dakota,  appealed 
to  the  President  for  the  return  of  the  First  South  Dakota 
regiment  as  follows:  "In  obedience  to  what  I  believe  to 
be  the  most  universal  wish  of  the  State,  I  desire  to  re- 
quest the  return  to  the  United  States  of  the  First  South 
Dakota  Volunteer  Infantry,  now  engaged  under  General 
Otis  in  war  against  the  inhabitants  of  the  island  of 
Luzon.     *     *     * 

"The  soldiers  of  the  First  South  Dakota  enlisted  in  the 
w^ar  against  Spain,  which  was  concluded  some  time  since 
by  the  signing  of  the  Paris  treaty  of  peace.  The  task  for 
which  they  entered  the  service  has  been  completed.  The 
war  for  humanity  has  ended,  the  battle  for  the  liberation 
of  Spain's  enthralled  subjects  has  been  successfully  con- 
cluded, and  since  that  war  is  the  one  for  which  the  sol- 
diers enlisted,  my  people  feel  that  South  Dakota  Volun- 
teers have  fulfilled  every  obligation  they  owe  to  their 
country  and  its  flag,  and  that  they  should  be  allowed  to 
return  to  their  native  land,  to  rejoin  their  families  and 
friends  and  to  take  up  the  peaceful  pursuits  which  they 
dropped  when  the  call  came  to  enter  upon  a  campaign  for 
the  promotion  of  the  right  of  self-government." 

Mr.  Robert  M.  Collins,  correspondent  of  the  Asso- 
ciated Press  in  the  Philippines,  wrote  to  the  general 
manager,  M.  E.  Stone,  Esq.,  under  date  of  Manila,  P.  L, 
July  30,  1899,  describing  the  situation  there  under  the 
censorship  and  a  conversation  between  the  correspond- 
ents and  General  Otis  in  which  he  stated  as  follows : 

"We  reminded  him  that  while  he  had  been  reporting 
to  Washington  that  'the  volunteers  will  render  willing 
service  until  relieved,'  the  same  volunteers  were  sending 
regimental  petitions  to  the  Governors  of  their  States  to 
use  every  influence  to  secure  their  recall;  that  some  regi- 
ments had  petitioned  him  to  relieve  them  from  duty;  that 
the  members  of  various  regiments  had  at  certain  stages 


SOLDIERS  ALMOST  MUTINY.  167 

of  the  war  been  in  a  frame  of  mind  closely  resembling 
mutiny ;  that  the  members  of  the  Third  Artillery,  who  had 
enlisted  for  the  war  with  Spain,  had  threatened  to  stack 
their  guns  on  the  4th  of  July  unless  discharged." 

The  following  is  a  portion  of  a  letter  from  a  member  of 
the  Third  Artillery:  *T  saw  a  dispatch  from  General  Otis 
in  an  American  paper  wherein  he  says  that  the  volunteers 
wanted  to  stay  here.  That  is  a  lie,  as  well  as  a  good  many 
other  reports  which  are  sent  in.  The  soldiers  have  no 
heart  in  this  fight.  In  one  day  six  of  our  battery  deserted, 
but  were  caught  and  sentenced  to  thirty  days  in  prison. 
This  is  preferred  to  doing  duty  and  more  have  followed. 
*  *  *  Should  we  not  be  relieved  when  the  new  troops 
arrive,  this  month,  there  will  be  mutiny  in  several  regi- 
ments, including  ours,  Nebraska,  Kansas,  Pennsylvania 
and  Montana  regiments." 

We  have  the  original  letter  before  us,  but  will  not 
quote  the  bitterest  of  it,  which  might  make  a  bad  mat- 
ter worse,  as  it  shows  a  state  of  feeling  among  as  brave 
and  patriotic  a  set  of  men  as  ever  fought  under  any 
flag,  that  shames  a  nation  which  will  allow  its  soldiery 
to  be  conscripted  unconstitutionally  as  they  were. 

Sergeant  McCosham,  of  Marinette,  Wisconsin,  who 
went  out  as  one  of  the  First  South  Dakota  Volunteers, 
wrote  as  follows : 

*Two  days  after  San  Fernando  was  taken  our  regiment 
had  but  190  men  on  the  line,  the  remainder  being  dead, 
wounded  or  sick.  General  McArthur  complained  of  the 
number  of  men  sick,  other  regiments  being  in  the  same 
shape  as  ours,  and  Major  Potter  with  one  other  surgeon 
was  sent  in  to  Manila  to  rush  men  to  the  front.  Acting 
under  instructions,  he  sent  108  men  to  the  front.  Of 
these  thirty  were  unable  to  reach  the  depot,  a  mile  dis- 
tant, many  of  them  fainting  on  the  way,  some  twenty- 
eight  or  thirty  ultimately  arrived  at  San  Fernando  in 
worse  condition  than  when  sent  to  Manila,  the  others 


l68       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

being  ordered  back  to  Manila  by  surgeons  along  the  line 
of  the  railroad,  who  saw  at  a  glance  they  were  in  a  pre- 
carious condition.  I  saw  two  of  these  men  brought  into 
ward  D,  of  the  ist  Reserve  Hospital,  who  will  die  before 
this  letter  leaves  Manila.  I  can  prove  by  the  records  of 
the  hospital  that  men  were  ordered  to  the  front  whose 
temperature  was  103  degrees,  and  men  from  other  regi- 
ments fared  no  better. 

"Major-General  Otis  has  telegraphed  that  the  volun- 
teers are  anxious  to  remain  here,  when  I  know  and  every 
officer  on  the  island  knows  that  95  per  cent  of  the  enlisted 
men  in  the  eighth  army  corps  are  praying  to  God  to  get 
home  at  once. 

"You  Americans  shudder  at  the  tryanny  of  Spain  and 
the  cruelty  visited  upon  the  natives  of  Luzon  and  Cuba, 
but  I  want  to  tell  you  that  bright,  brave,  young  Ameri- 
cans who  volunteered  to  defend  their  country  in  the  hour 
of  peril,  are  giving  up  their  lives  by  service  in  sacrifice 
to  the  vanity  of  star  bespangled  generals  and  a  fog- 
headed  dollar-hearted  bureau  of  officials  at  home. 

"The  fierce  tropical  heat,  the  fever  cursed  atmosphere, 
and  the  bullets  of  the  insurgents,  are  working  such  havoc 
among  the  men  that  the  surgeons  and  nurses  are  abso- 
lutely unable  to  give  to  the  sick  and  wounded  the  care 
that  they  should  receive. 

"You  may  publish  this  letter  and  my  name  shall  be 
signed.  I  would  face  a  courtmartial  willingly  and  prove 
more  than  I  write,  for  I  know  that  it  is  only  by  arousing 
the  sense  of  the  States  that  we  can  be  relieved — and  to 
stay  much  longer  will  be  death  to  most  of  us. 

"When  I  feel  a  little  better,  when  the  curse  of  patriot- 
ism lays  a  trifle  lighter  on  our  heads,  I  shall  write  a 
longer,  a  more  cheerful  letter;  until  that  time  I  am,  with 
sincerest  regards  to  all  of  the  old  friends  and  best  wishes 
for  your  own  success.         Your  friend, 

"Hugh  D.  McCosham, 
"Sergt.  Co.  H.  ist  S.  D.  Vol.  Inf." 

Upon  page  121  of  his  official  report  of  August  31,  1899, 
General  Otis  states,  as  regards  desire  of  troops  to  re- 
turn home:     "The  volunteers  had  again  become  very 


MISSTATEMENTS   BY   MR.  McKINLEY.  169 

restless  and  desired  to  depart.  On  June  2d  the  surgeon 
of  one  of  these  regiments  reported  that  of  873  officers 
and  enUsted  men  30  per  cent  were  in  the  Manila  hos- 
pitals sick  and  wounded,  30  per  cent  were  sick  at  San 
Fernando,  'and  of  the  remainder  there  are  not  eight  men 
in  each  company  who  have  the  strength  to  endure  one 
day's  march.'  In  respect  to  this  report  the  chief  surgeon 
of  MacArthur's  division  remarked  that  he  had  made  a 
careful  examination  of  the  men  and  that  of  the  whole 
number  in  the  regiment  then  present  only  ninety-six 
were  fit  for  duty." 

We  could  continue  such  evidence  indefinitely. 

Notwithstanding  the  well-known  facts  in  the  case, 
Mr.  McKinley  had  the  hardihood,  when  he  welcomed 
the  Tenth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  on  their  return  in 
Pittsburg,  on  August  28,  1899,  to  say  of  the  soldiers  who 
had  demanded  discharge  from  what  they  considered  a 
wicked  war: 

"Privileged  to  be  mustered  out  in  April,  when  the 
ratifications  of  the  treaty  of  peace  were  exchanged,  they 
did  not  claim  the  privilege — they  declined  it.  They  vol- 
untarily remained  in  the  service  and  declared  their  pur- 
pose to  stay  until  their  places  could  be  filled  by  new 
levies  and  longer  if  the  government  needed  them." 

And  again  in  St.  Paul,  on  October  12,  1899,  upon  the 
return  of  the  Thirteenth  Minnesota  Volunteers,  he  said: 

"I  was  glad  that  they  didn't  want  to  come  home  until 
the  government  of  the  United  States  was  ready  to  dis- 
pense with  their  services.  I  was  glad  that  no  matter 
who  advised  otherwise,  they  did  not  propose  to  beat  a 
retreat."  Surely  Mr.  McKinley  should  have  the  medal 
for  being  both  the  champion  lawyer  and  model  politician ! 
How  Mr.  McKinley  could  stand  and  say  what  he  said 
in  his  sane  mind  before  mothers  of  boys  who  sent  such 
messages  to  them  and  wrote  such  letters  of  them  and 
''this  accursed  war,"  as  General  Lawton  termed  it,  we  can 


170       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

scarcely  comprehend,  and  to  illustrate  we  quote  only  one 
of  each.  Mothers  of  the  boys  of  the  First  Nebraska 
regiment  telegraphed  to  them  when  the  call  for  re-enlist- 
ment came: 

**Boys,  don't  re-enlist;  insist  on  immediate  discharge." 

This  was  sent  after  the  regiment  had  appealed  for  at 
least  a  respite,  having  been  worn  out  in  this  war.  One 
mother  wrote: 

**My  boy  writes:  *It  makes  me  fairly  faint  and  sick  to 
see  the  wounded  Filipinos  who  are  brought  into  the  hos- 
pital, all  shot  to  pieces  with  our  rapid  fire  guns.' 

''Must  I  believe  that  the  teaching  I  gave  my  little 
boy  twenty  years  ago,  was  wrong,  when  I  taught  him 
not  to  be  cruel  to  any  of  God's  creatures,  not  even  a 
worm?  This  teaching  seems  almost  to  unfit  him  for  the 
cruel  work  he  is  now  engaged  in.  He  enlisted  in  the 
cause  of  humanity,  to  save  men  from  oppression,  now 
he  writes:  T  did  not  enlist  in  a  war  of  conquest,  the 
object  for  which  we  enlisted  is  just  the  reverse,'  and 
he  wants  to  come  home,  but  is  compelled  to  stay  (as  all 
the  volunteers  are)  and  help  kill  the  Filipinos  to  'civilize 
them,'  and  bring  them  under  American  rule.  The  boy 
we  taught  to  honor  the  flag — that  emblem  of  liberty  and 
independence,  must  now,  against  his  convictions,  fol- 
low that  flag  as  it  leads  our  American  boys  on  to  trample 
down  a  people  for  daring  to  ask  for  liberty  and  inde- 
pendence, cultivating  a  spirit  in  them  which  blunts  all 
moral  sense  to  the  rights  of  others,  and  'President  Mc- 
Kinley  approves.'  Do  not  tell  me  this  is  God's  way  of 
expansion.  Let  the  church  use  any  other  argument  but 
this,  for  it  dishonors  the  name  of  Christ  and  destroys 
the  'faith  which  worketh  by  love.'  I  cannot  find  any- 
thing in  the  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ  that  justifies  this 
Philippine  war,  and  to  'keep  the  faith'  I  must  abide  in 
the  doctrine  of  Christ.  Mrs.  E.  W.  Akers, 

"Pipestone,  Minn." 

On  August  28,  1899,  Mr.  McKinley  declared  in  Pitts- 
burg that:  "Every  step  taken  was  in  obedience  to  the  re- 
quirements of  the  constitution,"  and  he  added:     "Until 


MISSTATEMENTS   BY  MR.  McKINLEY.  ^7^ 

the  treaty  was  ratified  we  had  no  authority  beyond  Ma- 
nila City,  bay  and  harbor.  We  then  had  no  other  title  to 
defend,  no  authority  beyond  that  to  maintain.  Spain  was 
still  in  possession  of  the  remainder  of  the  archipelago. 
Spain  had  sued  for  peace.  The  truce  and  treaty  were  not 
concluded." 

December  21,  1898,  seven  weeks  before  the  treaty  was 
ratified,  sovereignty  over  all  the  Philippine  Islands  was 
proclaimed,  which,  according  to  Mr.  McKinley's  own 
words,  was  illegal  and  unconstitutional,  because,  as  he 
said:  "Until  the  treaty  was  ratified,  we  had  no  authority 
beyond  Manila  City,  bay  and  harbor."  Congress  alone 
is  empowered  by  the  constitution  to  declare  war  for  this 
country,  and  Congress  has  never  yet  declared  any  war 
of  conquest  against  the  Filipinos,  though  it  did  declare  a 
war  to  free  the  oppressed  people  of  Cuba  from  Spanish 
tyranny. 

The  thirteenth  amendment  to  the  constitution  pro- 
hibits slavery  in  the  United  States  or  "any  place  subject 
to  its  jurisdiction,"  but  slavery  is  permitted  in  the  Sulu 
Archipelago  by  treaty  provisions,  never  ratified  consti- 
tutionally by  the  Senate. 

Yet  Mr.  McKinley  declared  that  "every  step  taken 
was  in  obedience  to  the  requirements  of  the  constitu- 
tion." 

President  McKinley,  in  his  speech  at  Sioux  Falls, 
South  Dakota,  October  14,  1899,  said: 

"When  the  treaty  of  peace  was  made  by  which  Spain 
ceded  to  us  the  entire  archipelago,  which  treaty  was 
ratified  by  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  Senate  of  the 
United  States,  *  *  *  j^  became  our  duty  to  estab- 
lish authority.  A  portion  of  one  tribe^  representing  the 
smallest  fraction  of  the  entire  population  of  the  islands, 
resisted  American  authority." 


172       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

General  Anderson,  commanding  the  first  American 
army  in  the  Phihppines,  wrote: 

''We  held  Manila  and  Cavite.  The  rest  of  the  island 
was  held  not  by  the  Spaniards,  but  by  the  FiHpinos. 
On  the  other  islands  the  Spaniards  were  confined  to 
two  or  three  fortified  towns.  At  the  time  referred  to  we 
could  not  claim  to  hold  by  purchase,  for  we  had  not 
then  received  Spain's  quitclaim  deed  to  the  archipelago." 

General  Otis,  in  his  first  official  report  as  Governor- 
General  of  the  Philippines,  stated  in  reference  to  the 
period  prior  to  this  Treaty  of  Peace. 

"The  insurrection  had  spread  to  and  was  active  in  all 
the  islands  with  the  exception  of  the  Sulu  archipelago. 
*  *  *  Vessels  flying  the  Spanish  flag  could  not  safely 
enter  any  ports  which  had  been  seized  by  the  insur- 
gents."— General  Otis'  report,  page  14. 

General  MacArthur,  the  present  Governor-General  of 
the  Philippines,  stated  to  a  correspondent  of  the  "Crite- 
rion" in  an  interview  at  Manila: 

"When  I  first  started  in  against  these  rebels  I  believed 
that  Aguinaldo's  troops  represented  only  a  faction.  I 
did  not  like  to  believe  that  the  whole  population:  of 
Luzon — the  native  population — was  opposed  to  us.  But 
having  come  thus  far,  after  having  occupied  several 
towns  and  cities  in  succession,  and  having  been  brought 
into  contact  with  both  'insurrectos'  and  'amigos,'  I  have 
been  reluctantly  compelled  to  believe  that  the  Filipino 
masses  are  loyal  to  Aguinaldo  and  the  government  which 
he  heads." 

Thus  we  have  the  words  of  these  three  of  our  com- 
manding generals  in  the  Philippines,  sustained  fully  by 
the  facts  in  the  case,  that  the  Filipino  insurrection  was 
far  reaching,  if  not  universal,  against  Mr.  McKinley's 
personal  assertion  to  the  contrary. 

Before  passing  on,  we  must  call  attention  to  one  more 


MISSTATEMENTS   BY   MR.  McKINLEY.  173 

of  Mr.  McKinley's  marvelous  myths,  with  which  he  mys- 
tifies the  truth. 

In  his  message  of  December  5th,  1899,  he  stated  as  to 
the  opening  of  hostilities  at  the  battle  of  Manila,  Febru- 
ary 4th  and  5th,  1899: 

"Just  before  the  time  set  by  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States  for  a  vote  upon  the  treaty,  an  attack,  evidently 
prepared  in  advance,  was  made  all  along  the  American 
lines  which  resulted  in  a  terribly  destructive  and  san- 
guinary repulse  of  the  insurgents." 

On  page  92  of  his  ofificial  record  of  August  31st,  1899, 
Gen.  E.  S.  Otis  describes  this  "attack"  as  *'an  insurgent 
approaching  the  picket  and  refusing  to  halt  or  answer 
when  challenged.  The  result  was  our  picket  discharged 
his  piece,  when  the  insurgent  troops  near  Santa  Mesa 
opened  a  spirited  fire  on  our  troops  there  stationed.  The 
engagement  was  one  strictly  defensive  on  the  part  of  the 
insurgents  and  of  vigorous  attack  by  our  forces."    *    *    * 

*Tt  is  not  believed  that  the  chief  insurgent  leaders 
wished  to  open  hostilities  at  this  time,  as  they  were  not 
completely  prepared  to  assume  the  initiative." 

Gen.  C.  McC.  Reeve,  who  was  provost  marshal  of  Ma- 
nila at  that  time,  says  that  on  February  5th,  1899,  "Gen. 
Torres,  of  the  insurgents,  came  through  the  lines  under 
a  flag  of  truce  and  had  a  personal  interview  with  Gen. 
Otis,  in  which,  speaking  for  Aguinaldo,  he  declared  that 
the  fighting  had  begun  accidentally  and  was  not  author- 
ized by  Aguinaldo;  that  Aguinaldo  wished  to  have  it 
stopped,  and  that  to  bring  about  a  conclusion  of  hostil- 
ities he  proposed  the  establishment  of  a  neutral  zone  be- 
tween the  two  armies  of  any  width  that  would  be  agree- 
able to  Gen.  Otis,  so  that  during  the  peace  negotiations 
there  might  be  no  further  danger  of  conflict  between  the 
two  armies.    To  these  representations  of  Gen.  Torres, 


174       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Gen.  Otis  sternly  replied  that  the  fighting,  having  once 
begun,  must  go  on  to  the  grim  end." 

Yet  Mr.  McKinley  says:  "An  attack  evidently  pre- 
pared in  advance  was  made  all  along  the  American 
lines." 

If  Mr.  Lincoln  were  living  to-day  we  believe  he  would 
say  of  this  war  against  the  Philippines  and  Mr.  Mc- 
Kinley's  policy  what  he  said  of  the  war  with  Mexico, 
which  he  declared  was  commenced  contrary  to  the  Con- 
stitution by  President  Polk,  when  he  explained  his  vote 
against  it  as  follows: 

"I  more  than  suspect  that  already  he  is  deeply  con- 
scious of  being  in  the  wrong;  that  he  feels  the  blood 
of  Abel  is  crying  to  Heaven  against  him;  that  originally 
having  some  strong  motive  (what  I  will  not  now  stop 
to  give  my  opinion  concerning)  to  involve  the  two  coun- 
tries in  a  war,  and  trusting  to  escape  scrutiny  by  fixing 
the  public  gaze  upon  the  exceeding  brightness  of  mili- 
tary glory,  that  attractive  rainbow  that  rises  in  show- 
ers of  blood,  he  plunged  into  it,  and  has  swept  on  and 
on,  till  disappointed  in  his  calculation  of  the  ease  with 
which  Mexico  might  be  subdued,  he  now  finds  himself 
he  knows  not  where. 

"How  like  the  half  insane  mumblings  of  a  fever  dream 
is  the  whole  war  part  of  his  late  message.  *  *  *  ^s 
I  have  said  before,  he  knows  not  where  he  is.  He  is  a 
bewildered,  confounded,  and  miserably  perplexed  man. 
God  grant  he  may  be  able  to  show  there  is  not  some- 
thing about  his  conscience  more  painful  than  all  his 
mental  perplexities." — Lincoln's  Complete  Works,  Vol. 
I,  page  1 06,  Jan.  12,  1848. 

We  who  have  formerly  loved  and  honored  and  voted 
for  Mr.  McKinley  would  far  prefer  to  believe  that  he 
was  a  "miserably  perplexed  man"  than  to  think  that  he 
was  a  willful  falsifier,  or  even  guiltily  ignorant  of  the  facts 
of  the  case. 

The  saddest  sight  in  this  world  is  to  see  such  a  man 


MR.   McKINLEY  MISTAKEN.  175 

fall  so  far  short  of  his  high  calling  without  a  cause.  To 
be  sure,  Mr.  McKinley  declared  in  his  speech  of  October 
12,  1899,  at  Minneapolis,  very  graciously : 

"That  Congress  will  provide  for  them  (the  Filipinos), 
a  government  which  will  bring  them  blessings,  which 
will  promote  their  material  interests,  as  well  as  advance 
their  people  in  the  paths  of  civilization  and  intelligence, 
I  confidently  believe." 

Just  as  graciously  did  His  Royal  Highness,  King 
George  the  HI.  of  England,  cry  out  of  the  kindness  of 
his  heart  in  1776: 

"I  am  desirous  of  restoring  to  them  (the  American  col- 
onies) the  blessings  of  law,  which  they  have  fatally  and 
desperately  exchanged  for  the  calamities  of  war,  and 
the  arbitrary  tyranny  of  their  chiefs." 

In  this  connection  we  cannot  refrain  from  quoting 
our  martyr  President's  noble  words,  which  Mr.  Lincoln 
uttered  in  his  speech  at  Chicago,  111.,  July  10,  1858: 

'Those  arguments  that  are  made  that  the  inferior  race 
are  to  be  treated  with  as  much  allowance  as  they  are 
capable  of  enjoying;  that  as  much  is  to  be  done  for 
them  as  their  condition  will  allow;  what  are  these  argu- 
ments? They  are  the  arguments  that  kings  have  made 
for  enslaving  the  people  in  all  ages  of  the  world.  ^  You 
will  note  that  all  the  arguments  of  kingcraft  were  always 
of  this  class.  They  always  bestrode  the  necks  of  the 
people  not  that  they  wanted  to  do  it,  but  because  the 
people  were  better  ofif  for  being  ridden.  *  *  *  Turn 
it  every  way  you  will,  whether  It  comes  from  the  mouth 
of  a  king  as  an  excuse  for  enslaving  the  people  of  his 
country,  or  from  the  mouth  of  one  race  as  a  reason  for 
enslaving  the  men  of  another  race,  it  is  all  the  same  old 
serpent."— Lincoln's  Complete  Works,  Vol.  I,  page  259. 

We  w'ant  no  Oriental  Irelands  under  our  free  flag,  no 
Mohammedan,  polygamous,  slave-holding  despotism! 


176       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"THE   FLAG   OF   THE  FREE." 

Ours  is  the  flag  of  the  free  and  brave; 
Why  should  it  fly,  then,  over  a  slave  ? 

Once  'twas  only  the  flag  of  the  free, 
As  God  grant  again  it  soon  may  be! 

Our  fathers  fought  in  the  long  ago, 
And  our  dear  ones  fell  to  make  it  so. 

By  the  blood  they  shed,  we  vow  again 
To  cleanse  that  flag  from  its  cursed  stain ! 

Our  dear  old  flag,  not  long  shall  it  wave 
Under  a  despot,  over  a  slave ! 

By  ballots  or  bullets,  or  by  both. 
We  call  to  the  free  to  keep  the  oath ! 

The  flag  of  the  free  it  yet  shall  be — 
The  flag  of  the  free,  and  only  free ! 

— H.  H.  Van  Meter. 
Chicago,  May,  1900. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE    RELIGIOUS    ORDERS    APPEAL   TO    SPAIN    FOR 
PROTECTION. 

Referring  to  the  extreme  bitterness  between  the 
Spanish  priests  or  friars  and  the  Filipino  people,  Rev. 
Father  Ambrose  Coleman  in  his  book  writes  thus: 

"It  seemed  truly  to  be  directed  against  the  church, 
and  to  be  animated  by  a  deadly  hostility  to  the  repre- 
sentatives of  religion;"  and  again  he  goes  on  to  state: 

'The  position  of  the  religious  orders  in  the  Philip- 
pines, just  before  the  war  broke  out  between  Spain  and 
America,  had  become  so  perilous  and  unbearable  that 
they  addressed  a  long  memorial  to  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment, exposing  their  grievances,  explaining  the  cause 
of  the  rebellion,  and  suggesting  remedies  suitable  for 
the  situation." 

So  powerful  had  the  Masons  and  Katipunans  become 


DENOUNCE  SECRET  SOCIETIES.  177 

during  the  last  rebellion,  prior  to  the  Spanish-American 
war,  and  before  the  Treaty  of  Peace  had  pledged  the 
power  of  the  American  army  and  navy  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  friars  from  the  Filipinos,  who  threatened  to 
banish  them  from  the  Philippines,  that  the  religious 
orders  addressed  a  memorial  to  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment, stating  that  they  must  withdraw  soon  if  not  better 
protected. 

It  charged  the  Freemasons  with  the  organization  and 
leadership  of  the  Katipunan  society,  and  declared:  "If 
we  had  given  the  faintest  mark,  not  of  sympathy,  but 
even  of  toleration,  to  the  men  who  were  scattering 
broadcast  false  notions  of  liberty,  condemned  by  the 
church,  the  religious  congregations  would  never  have 
been  disturbed."  It  asserted  that  the  hostility  to  the 
religious  orders  was  due  to  the  fact  that,  **Our  standard 
is  no  other  than  the  syllabus  of  the  great  pontiff,  Pius 
IX.,  so  frequently  confirmed  by  Leo  XIII.,  wherein  all 
rebellion  against  the  legitimate  powers  is  so  energet- 
ically condemned."  It  claims  that  the  religious  orders 
should  be  supported  "as  the  sole  Spanish  institution, 
pre-eminent  and  deeply  rooted,  which  exists  in  the 
islands,  a  vigorous  organization  well  adapted  to  those 
regions."  The  inference  from  it  is,  that  the  hatred  of 
the  Filipinos  for  the  religious  orders  is  due  to  the  pas- 
sionate love  of  the  people  for  the  principles  of  "Free 
Thought,  Liberty  of  the  Press,  Secularization  of  Educa- 
tion, Ecclesiastical  Liquidation,"  and  "Suppression  of 
the  Privileges  of  the  Clergy." 

Enlarging  upon  the  popular  opposition  to  the  re- 
ligious orders,  it  demands  the  punishment  and  preven- 
tion thereof  for  the  future  thus: 

"If  the  government  does  not  protect  us  from  the 
avalanche  of  insult  hurled  against  us,  if  it  does  not  root 


178       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

out  the  secret  societies,  if  it  allows  our  sacerdotal  char- 
acter to  be  trodden  under  foot,  while  our  enemies  de- 
stroy the  fruit  of  our  labors,  we  regret  to  say  that  we 
cannot  continue  our  ministry  in  the  islands.  *  *  * 
We  prefer  to  abandon  our  ministry  and  see  ourselves 
expelled  rather  than  continue  our  mission  in  the  islands 
if  the  situation  does  not  better  itself  before  long." 

But  ''the  situation"  did  "better  itself  before  long,"  for 
the  friars,  and  became  fatal  to  the  Filipinos  by  means  of 
**the  hated  Protestant  conquerors." 

In  the  article  entitled  "A  Sketch  of  Catholicity  in  the 
Philippines,"  by  Charleson  Shane,  in  "The  Catholic 
World"  of  August,  1898,  we  find  the  following  state- 
ments: 

"With  Legaspi,  founder  of  Manila  in  1571,  came  a 
band  of  Augustinian  monks.  They  were  followed  some 
five  years  later  by  a  body  of  Franciscans,  and  before  a 
dozen  years  had  passed  Manila  had  a  Dominican  bishop 
and  an  addition  of  missionaries  of  the  Order  of  Preach- 
ers and  the  Society  of  Jesus.  To-day,  according  to  fig- 
ures published  in  the  "Etudes"  of  July  5,  1898,  the 
spiritual  charges  of  the  various  communities  is  repre- 
sented by  the  following  table: 

1892 — Augustinians 2,082,131  souls 

1892 — Recollects    1,175,156  souls 

1892 — Franciscans   1,010,753  souls 

1892 — Dominicans   699,851  souls 

1895 — Jesuits    213,065  souls 

1896 — Secular  Clergy   967,294  souls 

"Most  significant  in  the  above  table  is  the  comparative 
fewness  of  souls  cared  for  by  the  secular  or  native  clergy. 
The  work  is  all  done,  the  power  all  possessed  by  the 
monks.  Whatever  the  reason — we  may  be  able  to 
guess — this  is  most  unfortunate.  Antagonize  religious 
sentiment  and  patriotism,  and  you  have  done  much  to 
uproot  the  influence  of  the  spiritual  authority." 

According  to  the  foregoing  figures  there  were 
6,148,250  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  In  the 


FRIARS  IN  PHILIPPINES.  179 

Philippines  at  the  stated  dates,  and  turning  to  another 
article  in  'The  Catholic  World"  of  June,  1899,  by  Mr. 
Bryan  J.  Clinch,  we  find  the  following  statements: 

"The  official  records  of  both  the  religious  orders  and 
the  government,  published  long  before  Dewey  entered 
Manila  Bay,  show  that  in  no  Catholic  country  is  the 
number  of  priests  so  small,  compared  with  the  popula- 
tion, as  in  the  Philippines. 

"In  1896  the  whole  clergy  of  the  islands  only  num- 
bered 1,988  priests  between  all  the  orders  and  seculars 
combined.  The  secular  clergy  amounted  to  773,  of 
whom  about  one-half  is  of  the  native  races." 

This  would  show  only  387  native  priests,  and  accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Lala  no  native  can  now  become  a  priest, 
owing  to  activity  in  recent  insurrections.  Deducting 
the  number  of  secular  clergy  from  the  total,  we  find  the 
number  of  friars  to  have  been  1,215.  This  number  in- 
cluded all  those  in  the  Carolines  and  Ladrones,  as  well 
as  professors  and  missionaries  in  the  Philippines. 

These  figures  would  show  about  one  friar  to  every 
5,000  native  Roman  Catholic  Filipinos,  or  not  far  from 
one  friar  for  every  10,000  natives  of  all  classes  and 
faiths  or  no  faith  whatever,  as  the  case  may  be,  including 
Mohammedans,  Chinese  and  all  others. 

In  short,  the  interests  of  one  foreign  Spanish  born 
friar  only,  was  at  stake,  as  over  against  the  welfare  of 
every  10,000  native  Filipinos. 

Yet  the  welfare  of  the  10,000  natives  was  of  no  ac- 
count as  compared  with  the  one  friar's  interests,  in- 
trigues and  wishes,  which  outweighed  those  of  all 
others. 

Governor-General  Blanco,  before  he  left  the  Philip- 
pines in  1896,  had  found  the  situation  so  intolerable 
there  that  he  had  demanded  either  the  immediate  ex- 
pulsion of  the  religious  orders  or  reinforcements  of  an 


l8o       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

army  of  8o,ocX)  men  to  crush  the  insurrectionary  move- 
ment against  the  friars. 

FaiHng  to  secure  either  the  expulsion  of  the  Spanish 
monks,  or  the  Spanish  army  for  the  enforcement  of 
their  obnoxious  rule,  he  resigned. 

Then  followed  the  insurrection  of  1896,  which  was  so 
successful  that  the  treaty  of  Biac-na-Bato,  promising 
the  required  reforms,  including  among  other  stipula- 
tions: "i.  The  expulsion,  or  at  least  secularization,  of 
the  religious  orders"  (see  page  344  of  Senate  document 
No.  62),  brought  about  a  partial  peace  for  a  short  time. 

The  utter  disregard  of  this  treaty,  which  was  simply  a 
Spanish  trick,  to  accomplish  by  treachery  what  they  had 
failed  to  do  by  force,  brought  about  a  renewal  of  hostili- 
ties as  soon  as  the  Filipinos  realized  the  situation. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

BROKEN   PROMISES— SPANISH  AND  AMERICAN. 

Upon  page  462  of  Senate  Document  No.  62  Mr.  Fore- 
man tells  of  the  treachery  of  the  Spaniards  at  this  time 
as  follows:  ''Martinez  Campos  had  signed  the  treaty  of 
Zanjon  (terminating  the  ten  years  war  in  Cuba)  *  *  * 
for  which  he  thought  himself  responsible  in  a  certain 
sense,  but  he  was  pooh-poohed  and  laughed  at.  They 
said:  The  Cubans  have  laid  down  their  arms,  every- 
thing is  quiet;  why  should  we  do  anything  more?  We 
have  accomplished  what  we  wanted.'  He  said:  T  have 
given  my  word  of  honor;  my  personal  honor  is  af- 
fected.' But  they  said:  *  *  *  Tt  is  a  very  good 
trick  *  *  *  Let  the  reforms  go;  never  mind  the 
engagement.'  They  have  done  the  same  thing  with  the 
treaty  of  Biac-na-bato,  made  with  Emilio  Aguinaldo,  the 
rebel  general.  *  *  *  One  of  the  conditions  was  that 
the  families  and  others  connected  with  the  rebellion 
should  not  be  molested  in  any  form  or  sense  whatever; 


GENERAL  ALEJANDRINO'S  LETTER.  i8l 

but  immediately  that  Aguinaldo  left  for  Hongkong  the 
priests  started  to  persecute  those  left  behind,  and  the 
result  was  that  another  chief  turned  up.  I  knew  his 
father  well— Alejandrino.  He  had  fled,  but  returned, 
and  is  one  of  the  leaders  now." 

This  evidently  is  the  same  Alejandrino  who,  with 
Aguinaldo,  started  the  insurrection  in  1896  and  was  first 
to  return  and  renew  the  struggle  in  1898. 

He  seems  also  to  be  the  general  of  the  Filipino  army 
who  recently  wrote  Senators  Hoar  and  Pettigrew  in  re- 
gard to  Admiral  Dewey's  promises  the  following  letter, 
of  which  the  correspondent  of  The  Chicago  Daily  News 
writes  under  date  of  Hong  Kong,  Aug.  22  (1900): 
''Consul-General  Wildman,  having  had  his  attention 
drawn  to  this  letter,  authorized  The  Daily  News  corre- 
spondent to  deny  it  'in  toto.' " 

"Sinukwan  Encampment,  Philippine  Islands,  April  12, 
1900. — R.  F.  Pettigrew  and  G.  F.  Hoar,  Senators,  Wash- 
ington.— Gentlemen:  I  have  read  in  some  American 
papers  that  Admiral  Dewey,  compelled  by  you  and 
other  senators,  lovers  of  truth  and  justice,  to  answer 
whether  he  had  made  to  us  formal  promises  of  inde- 
pendence, stated  that  he  had  'never  promised  independ- 
ence to  the  Filipinos.'  I,  who,  in  the  name  of  the  Filipino 
people  and  of  Gen.  Aguinaldo  and  as  a  representative 
of  these  have  had  the  honor  to  confer  several  times  with 
the  admiral,  make  to  you  the  following  statements  that 
you  may  use  them  as  you  should  think  more  convenient: 

"In  April,  1898,  when  the  rupture  of  hostilities  be- 
tween America  and  Spain  became  imminent,  and  in 
the  absence  of  my  chief.  Gen.  Aguinaldo,  who  was  then 
at  Singapore,  I  solicited,  through  the  American  consul 
at  Hongkong,  Mr.  Wildman,  to  have  some  interviews 
with  Admiral  Dewey,  with  the  object  of  continuing  the 
interrupted  negotiations  between  Gen.  Aguinaldo  and 
Admiral  Dewey,  through  Mr.  Wood,  the  commander 
of  the  American  gunboat  Petrel.  My  petition  was  favor- 
ably received  and  I  went  with  Mr.  Andres  Garchitorena, 


l82       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

another  Filipino,  on  board  the  Olympia  in  the  bay  of 
Hongkong. 

"Once  on  board  the  following  interview  in  French 
took  place,  the  flag  lieutenant,  Mr.  Brumby,  acting  as 
interpreter: 

''Filipino — 'Admiral,  it  having  come  to  our  knowl- 
edge that  a  war  between  your  country  and  Spain  is  im- 
minent, we,  who  have  fought  the  latter  for  our  inde- 
pendence, are  wilHng,  in  obedience  to  the  desires  mani- 
fested by  you  to  Gen.  Aguinaldo,  through  Mr.  Wood,  to 
take  part  in  the  war  as  allies  of  America,  so  long  as  it 
be  carried  on  with  the  object  of  freeing  from  the  yoke 
of  Spain  her  colonies,  giving  them  their  independence.' 

"Admiral  Dewey — 'The  American  people,  champions 
of  liberty,  will  undertake  this  war  with  the  humanitarian 
object  of  freeing  from  the  Spanish  yoke  the  peoples 
under  it,  and  will  give  you  independence  and  freedom, 
as  we  have  proclaimed  to  the  world  at  large.' 

"Filipino — 'We  are  very  grateful  for  this  generous 
manifestation  of  the  great  American  people,  and  being 
made  through  an  admiral  of  their  navy,  we  value  it  more 
than  a  written  contract,  and  thereupon  place  ourselves  at 
your  entire  disposal.' 

"Admiral  Dewey — 'I  place  at  your  disposal  the  ships 
of  my  fleet  for  the  conveyance  of  both  FiHpino  leaders 
and  the  arms  you  may  get.  Moreover,  I  think  my  gov- 
ernment is  willing  to  supply  you  with  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion.' 

"Filipino — 'We  are  very  thankful  to  you  for  this  new 
generosity  of  the  American  people,  and  you  may  be 
sure  that  we  are  ready  to  fight  at  your  side  for  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  Philippines,  even  without  arms,  as  we 
have  done  during  the  recent  revolution.' 

"Admiral  Dewey — 'America  is  rich  in  every  respect; 
she  has  territories  sparsely  inhabited.  Besides,  our  con- 
stitution prevents  territorial  expansion  outside  of  Amer- 
ica; therefore  the  Filipinos  may  be  sure  of  their  inde- 
pendence and  not  a  bit  of  their  land  shall  be  taken  from 
them.' 

"After  these   conclusive   and   formal   statements   the 


GENERAL  ALEJANDRINO'S  LETTER.  183 

conversation  turned  to  other  details  concerning  the  state 
of  the  country." 

The  letter  is  signed  "J.  Alejandrino."  He  is  a  Filipino 
general  who  recently  surrendered  to  the  American 
troops. 

Referring  to  their  exile  in  Hongkong  and  his  inter- 
views with  the  commander  of  the  U.  S.  S.  'Tetrell," 
Aguinaldo  wrote  in  his  Official  Review  of  the  Philip- 
pine Revolution  as  follows: 

"I  and  my  companions  did  not  long  have  to  remain 
in  this  critical  situation,  for  in  the  month  of  March  of 
the  same  year,  1898,  a  Jewish  gentleman  presented  him- 
self to  me  in  the  name  of  the  commander  of  the  Ameri- 
can warship  Petrell,  soliciting  an  interview  at  the  insti- 
gation of  Admiral  Dewey. 

''Various  interviews  took  place  with  this  commander, 
from  the  night  of  the  i6th  of  March  to  the  6th  of  April, 
in  which  he  wished  me  to  return  to  the  Philippines  and 
renew  there  the  war  of  independence  against  the  Span- 
iards, offering  me  the  assistance  of  the  United  States,  in 
case  of  war  being  declared  between  that  nation  and 
Spain. 

'Thereupon  I  asked  the  commander  of  the  Petrell 
what  concessions  the  United  States  would  make  to  the 
Philippine  islands,  on  which  he  replied  that  'the  United 
States  was  a  great  and  rich  nation  and  had  no  need  of 
colonies.' 

"In  view  of  this  I  explained  to  the  commander  the 
necessity  of  putting  down  in  writing  the  above  agree- 
ment, to  which  he  replied  that  he  would  submit  the  mat- 
ter to  Admiral  Dewey." 

Commander  Wood  of  the  Petrell  has  passed  away,  so 
we  cannot  call  upon  him  for  evidence  as  to  these  inter- 
esting interviews.  But  just  about  this  time  the  Spanish 
Governor-General  of  the  Philippines  issued  the  famous 
proclamation  which  was  read  by  order  of  Admiral  Dew- 
ey to  the  men  of  the  American  fleet  just  before  they  went 


l84      THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

into  action  in  the  battle  of  Manila  Bay,  which  brought 
out  a  counter  proclamation  from  the  Filipinos. 

We  will  give  both  of  these  documents  so  that  those 
not  familiar  with  them  may  judge  for  themselves  the 
situation  at  that  time. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
SPANISH  AND  FILIPINO  PROCLAMATIONS. 
The  following  is  a  translation  of  the  governor-gener- 
al's proclamation,  taken  from  'The  Bounding  Billow," 
a  little  paper  published  at  intervals  on  the  U.  S.  flagship 
Olympia,  under  date  of  "Manila,  Philippine  Islands, 
June,  1898,"  upon  paper  captured  from  the  Spaniards 
and  bearing  the  water  marks  still,  to  attest  its  genuine- 
ness: 

"Proclamation  issued  by  the  Governor-General  of  the 
Philippines — Spaniards : 

"Between  Spain  and  the  United  States  of  North 
America  hostilities  have  broken  out. 

"The  moment  has  come  to  prove  to  the  world  that 
we  possess  the  spirit  to  conquer  those  who,  pretending 
to  be  loyal  friends,  take  advantage  of  our  misfortune 
and  abuse  our  hospitality,  using  means  which  civilized 
nations  count  unworthy  and  disreputable. 

"The  North  American  people,  constituted  of  all  the 
social  excrescences,  have  exhausted  our  patience  and 
provoked  war,  with  their  perfidious  machinations,  with 
their  acts  of  treachery  and  with  their  outrages  against 
the  laws  of  nations  and  international  treaties. 

"The  struggle  will  be  short  and  decisive.  (It  was.) 
The  God  of  victories  will  give  us  one  as  complete  as  the 
righteousness  and  justice  of  our  cause  demands.  Spain, 
which  counts  upon  the  sympathies  of  all  the  nations, 
will  emerge  triumphant  from  this  new  test,  humiliating 
and  blasting  the  adventurers  from  those  states  that, 
without  cohesion  and.  without  a  history,  offer  to  human- 


GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S  PROCLAMATION.   185 

ity  only  infamous  traditions  and  the  spectacle  of  a  Con- 
gress in  which  appear  united  insolence  and  defamation, 
cowardice  and  cynicism. 

''A  squadron  manned  by  foreigners,  possessing  neith- 
er instruction  nor  discipline,  is  preparing  to  come  to  this 
archipelago  with  the  ruffianly  intention  of  robbing  us 
of  all  that  means  life,  honor  and  liberty. 

"Pretending  to  be  inspired  by  a  courage  of  which  they 
are  incapable,  the  North  American  seamen  undertake 
as  an  enterprise  capable  of  realization  the  substitution 
of  Protestantism  for  the  Catholic  religion  you  profess,  to 
treat  you  as  tribes  refractory  to  civilization,  to  take  pos- 
session of  your  riches  as  if  they  were  unacquainted  with 
the  rights  of  property  and  to  kidnap  those  persons  whom 
they  consider  useful  to  man  their  ships,  or  to  be  ex- 
ploited in  agricultural  or  industrial  labor. 

"Vain  design!    Ridiculous  boastings! 

"Your  indomitable  bravery  will  suffice  to  frustrate  the 
attempt  to  carry  them  into  realization.  You  will  not 
consent  that  they  shall  profane  the  faith  that  you  pro- 
fess, that  impious  footsteps  shall  defile  the  temple  of  the 
true  God,  nor  that  unbelief  shall  destroy  the  holy  images 
which  you  adore.  The  aggressors  shall  not  profane  the 
tombs  of  your  fathers,  they  shall  not  gratify  their  lustful 
passions  at  the  cost  of  your  wives'  and  daughters'  honor, 
nor  appropriate  the  property  which  your  industry  has 
accumulated  to  assure  your  livelihood.  No,  they  shall 
not  perpetuate  any  of  these  crimes,  inspired  by  their 
wickedness  and  covetousness,  because  your  valor  and 
patriotism  will  suffice  to  punish  and  abase  the  people 
that,  claiming  to  be  civilized  and  cultivated,  have  exter- 
minated the  natives  of  North  America,  instead  of  bring- 
ing to  them  the  life  of  civilization  and  progress. 

"Filipinos,  prepare  for  the  struggle,  and  united  under 
the  glorious  flag  of  Spain,  which  is  ever  covered  with 
laurels,  let  us  fight  with  the  conviction  that  victory  will 
crown  our  efforts,  and  to  the  summons  of  our  enemies 
let  us  oppose  with  the  decision  of  the  Christian  and  the 
patriot,  the  cry  of  'Viva  Espana!'    Your  General, 

"Basilio  Agustin  y.  Davila." 


.l86       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

In  a  special  cable,  copyright,  1899,  by  the  Chicago 
Record,  Joseph  L.  Stickney,  with  Admiral  Dewey,  sent 
the  following,  dated  "Leghorn,  Aug.  17"  (1899): 

"Walking  on  the  after-bridge  this  morning  while  the 
crew  was  drilling  at  quarters  for  battle,  the  admiral 
called  my  attention  to  the  intelligent  faces  of  his  men. 
'I  brought  the  archbishop  of  Manila  up  here  one  day,' 
he  said,  *to  let  him  see  our  seamen.  He  watched  them 
closely  for  a  long  time;  then  he  said  he'd  seen  warships 
of  all  nations,  but  never  a  crew  to  equal  mine.  I  told  him 
all  our  men  were  like  that  and  I  had  twenty  more  ships 
manned  the  same  way.  I  wanted  to  impress  him,  for  he 
was  the  man  who  wrote  that  outrageous  proclamation 
about  our  seamen  that  General  Augustin  signed.'  '* 

Following  we  quote  the  most  important  parts  of  the 
counter  proclamation  issued  by  the  Filipino  leaders  at 
this  time,  calling  upon  all  their  followers  to  aid  the 
Americans. 

Upon  pages  345  and  346  of  Senate  Document  No.  62, 
part  2,  Records  of  the  55th  Congress,  may  be  found  the 
following  letter  and  "Inclosure"  from  U.  S.  Consul  Gen- 
eral Pratt  of  Singapore,  to  Secretary  of  State  Day  of  the 
State  Department  at  Washington: 

"Consulate  General  of  the  United  States,  Singapore, 
May  20,  1898 — Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  for 
your  consideration  a  proclamation  in  Spanish,  issued 
prior  to  the  departure  of  our  fleet  for  Manila  by  the  in- 
surgent leaders  in  Hongkong,  calling  upon  the  Filipinos 
not  to  obey  the  appeal  of  the  Spaniards  to  oppose  the 
Americans,  but  to  rally  in  support  of  these,  as  they  came 
as  their  friends  and  liberators.  Three  copies  of  the  Eng- 
lish translation  of  the  above  I  also  inclose,  for  handing 
to  the  press,  should  that,  in  your  opinion,  seem  advis- 
able.   I  have  the  honor  to  be  E.  Spencer  Pratt, 

"United  States  Consul  General." 


FILIPINO  MANIFESTO.  187 

''(Inclosure) 

"America's  Allies. 

'The  Manifesto  of  the  Filipinos. 

"Compatriots:  Divine  Providence  is  about  to  place 
independence  within  our  reach,  and  in  a  way  the  most 
free  and  independent  nation  could  hardly  wish  for. 

"The  Americans,  not  from  mercenary  motives,  but 
for  the  sake  of  humanity  and  the  lamentation  of  so  many 
persecuted  people,  have  considered  it  opportune  to  ex- 
tend their  protecting  mantle  to  our  beloved  country,  now 
that  they  have  been  obliged  to  sever  relations  with  Spain, 
owing  to  the  tyranny  this  nation  is  exercising  in  Cuba, 
causing  enormous  injury  to  the  Americans,  who  have 
such  large  commercial  and  other  interests  there. 

"At  the  present  moment  an  American  squadron  is  pre- 
paring to  sail  for  the  Philippines. 

"We,  your  brothers,  are  very  much  afraid  that  you 
may  be  induced  to  fire  on  the  Americans.  No,  brothers, 
never  make  this  mistake.  Rather  blow  your  own  brains 
out  than  fire  a  shot  or  treat  as  enemies  those  who  are 
your  liberators. 

"Take  no  notice  of  the  governor-general  calling  you 
to  arms,  although  it  may  cost  you  your  lives.     *     *     * 

"Take  note,  the  Americans  will  attack  by  sea  and  pre- 
vent any  re-enforcements  coming  from  Spain;  therefore 
we  insurgents  must  attack  by  land.  Probably  you  will 
have  more  than  sufficient  arms,  because  the  Americans 
have  arms  and  will  find  means  to  assist  us. 

"There  where  you  see  the  American  flag  flying,  assem- 
ble in  numbers;  they  are  our  redeemers. 

"Our  unworthy  names  are  as  nothing,  but  one  and  all 
of  us  invoke  the  name  of  the  greatest  patriot  our  coun- 
try has  seen,  in  the  sure  and  certain  hope  that  his  spirit 
will  be  with  us  in  these  moments  and  guide  us  to  victory 
— our  immortal  Jose  Rizal." 

This  being  a  counter  proclamation  to  that  of  the  arch- 
bishop, signed  by  the  governor-general  and  read  by  or- 
der of  Admiral  Dewey  to  'his  men  before  the  battle  of 
Manila  Bay,  shows  who  were  the  friends  and  foes  of 


l88       THE  TRUTH   ABOUT  THE   PHILIPPINES. 

America  in  the  Philippines  from  the  first — Friars  or  Fil- 
ipinos. 

History  has  already  shown  how  faithfully  the  Fili- 
pinos fought  for  us  and  their  own  freedom,  as  our  own 
official  records  clearly  recount. 

From  the  foregoing  proclamation  it  is  perfectly  evi- 
dent that  whatever  had  or  had  not  been  said  to  the  Fili- 
pino leaders  at  this  time,  they  had  been  led  to  believe 
that  we  were  fighting  to  free  them,  with  the  oppressed 
people  of  Cuba,  from  the  cruel  tyranny  of  Spain. 

The  cause  of  freedom  being  the  same  in  the  Philip- 
pines as  in  Cuba,  they  could  see  no  right  reason  for  our 
freeing  the  Cubans  and  at  the  same  time  fettering  the 
Filipinos,  and  they  evidently  "trusted  to  our  honor,"  as 
all  our  representatives  told  them  they  could  do,  with 
safety.  They  had  read  the  4th  clause  of  the  joint  Cuban 
resolution  passed  by  Congress  and  approved  by  the 
president: 

"That  the  United  States  disclaims  any  disposition  or 
intention  to  exercise  sovereignty,  jurisdiction  or  control 
over  said  island,  except  for  the  pacification  thereof,  and 
asserts  its  determination  when  that  is  accomplished  to 
leave  the  government  and  control  of  the  island  to  its 
people,"  in  accordance  with  the  ist  clause  of  those  reso- 
lutions : 

'That  the  people  of  the  island  of  Cuba  are  and  of  a 
right  ought  to  be,  free  and  independent,"  which  was  the 
language  of  our  own  Declaration  of  Independence  and 
intended  as  a  reiteration  by  the  representatives  of  the 
people  of  this  great  republic  of  its  divine  principles. 

But  the  passage  of  these  resolutions  by  Congress  was 
most  bitterly  opposed  by  the  friends  of  freedom,  as  was 
the  war  for  the  liberation  of  Cuba  strenuously  opposed 
by  President  McKinley  and  his  influential  advisers. 


CONSUL  WILLIAMS'   CORRESPONDENCE.       189 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
THE  PHILIPPINE  REPUBLIC. 

One  week  after  the  destruction  of  the  battleship  Maine 
Consul  Williams  wrote  from  Manila  under  date  of  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1898,  officially:  ''A  republic  is  organized  here." 
See  pages  319  and  320,  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part 
two,  as  follows : 

"Peace  was  proclaimed  and  since  my  coming  festivities 
therefor  were  held,  but  there  is  no  peace  and  has  been 
none  for  about  two  years.  Conditions  here  and  in  Cuba 
are  practically  alike.  War  exists,  battles  are  of  almost 
daily  occurrence,  ambulances  bring  in  many  wounded 
and  hospitals  are  full.  Prisoners  are  brought  here  and 
shot  without  trial  and  Manila  is  under  martial  law.  The 
crown  forces  have  not  been  able  to  dislodge  a  rebel  army 
within  ten  miles  of  Manila,  and  last  Saturday,  February 
19,  a  battle  was  there  fought.  *  *  *  ^  republic  is 
organized  here  as  in  Cuba.  Insurgents  are  being  armed 
and  drilled;  are  rapidly  increasing  in  numbers  and  effi- 
ciency, and  all  agree  that  a  general  uprising  will  come 
as  soon  as  the  governor-general  embarks  for  Spain, 
which  is  fixed  for  March." 

"While  some  combatant  regiments  have  recently  been 
returned  to  Spain,  it  was  for  appearance  only,  and  all 
authorities  now  agree  that  unless  the  crown  largely  re- 
inforces its  army  here,  it  will  lose  possession. 

"Command  me  for  any  desired  information.  Your 
obedient  servant.  Oscar  F.  Williams, 

"Consul." 

Notwithstanding  this  official  notification  to  our  gov- 
ernment more  than  two  months  before  the  battle  of 
Manila  Bay,  that  "a  republic  is  organized  here,"  and  the 
Filipino  proclamation  calling  all  patriotic  Filipinos  to 
fight  for  "Independence"  as  "America's  allies,"  Mr. 
McKinley  declared  in  his  proclamation  of  December  5, 


190       THE  TRUTH   ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

1899,  that  **the  most  the  insurgent  leader  hoped  for  when 
he  came  bacK  to  Manila  was  the  liberation  of  the  islands 
from  the  Spanish  control,  which  they  had  been  laboring 
for  years  without  success  to  throw  off." 

The  preliminary  report  of  the  first  Philippine  commis- 
sion also  asserts,  after  recounting  the  battle  of  Manila 
Bay,  and  telling  of  the  arrival  of  American 
troops  under  General  Anderson,  that  "Now,  for  the 
first  time,  rose  the  idea  of  national  independence." 

This  they  declared,  although  Secretary  of  State  Day 
had  officially  rebuked  Consul  General  Pratt  of  Singa- 
pore for  not  repelling  the  implication  of  the  Fihpinos 
when  they  said  to  him  that  they  hoped  that  the  United 
States  government  would  "secure  to  us  our  independ- 
ence under  the  protection  of  the  United  States." 

One  who  knows  what  the  official  records  contain  on 
this  subject  can  only  wonder  at  the  audacity  of  such 
statements.    The  following  is  given  as  an  illustration: 

Upon  page  333  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2, 
of  the  55th  Congress,  may  be  found  a  copy  of  the  follow- 
ing letter  from  Consul  General  Wildman  to  Secretary 
of  State  Day,  dated  Hongkong,  November  3,  1897,  and 
informing  our  government  of  an  actual  Philippine  repub- 
lic at  that  date,  thus: 

"Since  my  arrival  in  Hongkong  I  have  been  called 
upon  several  times  by  Mr.  F.  Agoncilla,  foreign  agent 
and  high  commissioner,  etc.,  of  the  new  repubhc  of  the 
Philippines. 

"Mr.  Agoncilla  holds  a  commission,  signed  by  the 
president,  members  of  cabinet  and  general-in-chief  of  the 
republic  of  Philippines,  empowering  him  absolutely  with 
power  to  conclude  treaties  with  foreign  governments. 

"Mr.  Agoncilla  offers  on  behalf  of  his  government  alli- 
ance, offensive  and  defensive,  with  the  United  States, 


OFFICIAL  DISPATCHES.  191 

when  the  United  States  declares  war  on  Spain,  which,  in 
Mr.  Agoncilla's  judgment,  will  be  very  soon." 

Three  days  after  the  date  of  Consul  Williams'  last  let- 
ter quoted  from,  the  following  message  was  flashed  to 
Dewey: 

"Secret  and  confidential.  *  *  *  Keep  full  of  coal. 
In  the  event  of  declaration  of  war  with  Spain,  your  duty 
will  be  to  see  that  the  Spanish  squadron  does  not  leave 
the  Asiatic  coast,  and  then  offensive  operations  in  Phil- 
ippine islands."  From  Assistant  Secretary  of  Navy 
Roosevelt  to  Commodore  Dewey,  February  25,  1898, 
Appendix  Report  Chief  Bureau  Navigation,  p.  23. 

A  little  more  than  a  month  after,  this  message  came 
back  from  Commander  Dewey: 

"There  is  every  reason  to  believe  that,  with  Manila 
taken  or  even  blockaded,  the  rest  of  the  islands  would 
fall  to  the  insurgents  or  ourselves."  Dispatch  from  Com- 
modore Dewey,  Hongkong,  March  31,  1898. 

A  little  less  than  a  month  after  this  last  message  the 
following  was  sent  to  Dewey  at  Hongkong: 

"Washington,  April  26,  1898 — Dewey,  Asiatic  Squad- 
ron: Commence  operations  at  once,  particularly  against 
the  Spanish  fleet.    You  must  capture  or  destroy  them. 

"McKinley." 

But  it  is  impossible  to  present  the  situation  so  as  to  be 
intelligently  judged  of  by  our  readers  from  mere  tele- 
grams. For  this  reason  we  quote  a  very  few  official 
communications  from  our  foreign  consuls  who  con- 
ducted affairs  for  us  then. 

On  pages  320  and  321  of  Document  62,  under  date 
of  Manila,  March  19,  1898,  Consul  Williams  wrote: 

"Matters  are  in  a  serious  state  here.  I  have  daily 
communication  by  cable  and  letter  with  Commodore 
Dewey,  but  we  pass  letters  by  British  and  other  ship- 
masters and  by  private  parties,  because  cables  and  letters 
are  tampered  with. 


192       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

''Insurrection  is  rampant;  many  killed,  wounded  and 
made  prisoners  on  both  sides.  A  battleship,  the  Don 
Juan  de  Austria,  sent  this  week  to  the  northern  part  of 
Luzon  to  co-operate  with  a  land  force  of  2,000  dis- 
patched to  succor  local  forces,  overwhelmed  by  rebels. 
Last  night  special  squads  of  mounted  police  were  scat- 
tered at  danger  points  to  save  Manila.     *     *     * 

"Rebellion  never  more  threatening.  Rebels  getting 
arms,  money  and  friends,  and  they  outnumber  the  Span- 
iards, resident  and  soldiery,  probably  a  hundred  to  one." 

Upon  the  same  page  of  this  record  is  another  letter  of 
Consul  Williams,  dated  Manila,  March  27,  1898,  con- 
taining the  following: 

''Cuban  conditions  exist  here  possibly  in  aggravated 
form.  Spanish  soldiers  are  killed  and  wounded  daily, 
despite  claimed  pacification,  and  the  hospitals  are  kept 
full.  The  majority  of  the  casualties  are  reported  from 
the  ranks  of  the  insurgents,  and  the  cruelties  and  hor- 
rors of  war  are  daily  repeated. 

"Cavite  is  the  naval  port  of  Luzon,  situated  about  eight 
miles  across  the  bay  from  Manila,  and  about  twenty 
miles  distant  by  way  of  bay  shore  and  public  highway, 
and  last  Thursday,  March  24,  a  crown  regiment  of  na- 
tives, the  Seventy-fourth,  stationed  there,  was  ordered 
to  advance  against  the  native  insurgents  nearby.  The 
regiment  refused  to  obey  orders  and  eight  corporals 
were  called  out  and  shot  to  death  in  presence  of  the 
regiment,  which  was  again  ordered  to  advance  and 
threat  made  that  refusal  would  be  death  to  all.  All  did 
refuse  and  were  sent  to  barracks  to  await  sentence.  On 
the  morning  of  the  following  Friday,  March  25,  the  en- 
tire regiment,  with  arms  and  equipment,  marched  out  of 
the  barracks  and  deserted  in  a  body  to  the  insurgents, 
saying  they  were  willing  to  fight  the  foreign  enemies  of 
Spain,  but  would  not  fight  their  friends. 

"Since  beginning  this  dispatch  I  learn  of  the  desertion 
to  the  insurgents  of  another  entire  regiment.  These  are 
said  to  be  the  severest  set-backs  received  by  Spain  dur- 
ing the  two  years'  insurrection  here." 


CONSUL  WILLIAMS'  CORRESPONDENCE.        193 

Thus,  according  to  the  official  report  of  our  own  con- 
sul, fully  verified  by  Spanish  official  records,  and  facts  of 
undeniable  certainty,  we  ascertain  that  at  this  time  in 
the  Philippines,  as  in  Cuba,  the  same  terrible  struggle 
for  liberty  was  going  on  against  the  same  cruel  foe; 
"Cuban  conditions,"  as  stated,  "in  aggravated  form." 

Upon  pages  2>2^y  3^3,  324  and  325  of  Senate  Docu- 
ment No.  62  of  the  55th  Congress  is  to  be  found  a  letter 
from  Consul  Williams  to  Secretary  of  State  Day,  dated 
Manila,  March  31,  1898,  written  in  the  dark  days  when 
the  tide  of  indignation  over  Spanish  barbarities  was 
steadily  rising  in  America  to  sweep  them  forever  from 
the  face  of  the  North  American  continent.  Mr.  Williams 
wrote  in  part: 

"I  turn  with  reluctance,  but  from  a  sense  of  duty,  to 
somewhat  inform  you,  as  secretary  of  foreign  affairs, 
of  the  insurrection  which  for  about  two  years  has  devas- 
tated these  marvelously  fair  islands,  'covered  them  with 
blood  often  of  the  innocent,  and  has  bereft  thousands  of 
homes  of  the  husbands  and  sons  who  were  the  sole 
breadwinners.'     *     *     * 

"Censorship  is  rigid  and  the  oldest  daily  there.  El 
Diario  de  Manila,  and  another,  have  been  suspended  by 
public  order  because  truth  was  told.     *     *     * 

"Now,  5,000  armed  rebels,  which  for  days  have  been 
encamped  near  Manila  and  have  been  re-enforced  from 
the  mountains,  plan  to  attack  the  city  to-night.  All  is 
excitement,  and  life  uncertain. 

"News  came  this  afternoon  of  the  wounding  of  a  gov- 
ernor of  one  of  the  southern  provinces  and  the  defeat 
of  the  crown  forces  under  his  command. 

"The  only  church  permitted  here  is  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic, and  its  interference  with  the  government,  its  intol- 
erance, immorality  and  despotism  are  perhaps  the  great- 
est drawbacks  to  progress  on  these  islands. 

"From  concensus  of  opinion  received  from  men  of 
several  nationalities,  from  oldfest  foreign  residents,  from 
natives,  Chinese  and  a  few  Spaniards,  I  believe  that  of 


194       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  Philippine  people,  estimated  at  fifteen  millions,  not 
five  per  cent  are  loyal  to  Spain. 

*'But  officials  and  priests,  the  leeches  of  the  people, 
are  in  authority,  have  money,  influence  and  cunning,  so 
that  the  natives  and  half-breeds  (Chinese  and  European) 
are  more  or  less  controlled. 

"During  the  period  when  war  between  the  United 
States  and  Spain  was  expected,  which  seems  happily 
now  to  be  disappearing,  I  daily  heard  the  assurance  that 
the  natives,  half-breeds,  Chinese  merchants  and  such 
Spaniards  as  were  in  business,  were  all  ready  to  welcome 
our  fleet,  fight  with  it  to  hoist  over  these  islands  the 
United  States  flag  and  swear  allegiance  to  it,  and  once 
done,  all  interests  here  would  thrive,  be  settled  and 
'happy." 

The  first  letter  from  Consul  Williams,  from  which  we 
have  quoted,  began  thus : 

"Consulate  of  the  United  States,  Manila,  Philippine 
Islands,  February  22,  1898 — Sir:  Without  specific  in- 
structions it  seems  my  duty  at  this  critical  period  to 
inform  the  Washington  government  somewhat  as  to 
political  conditions  here.  But  as  I  have  been  here  less 
than  a  month,  vigilance  has  not  overcome  all  difficulties, 
and  a  rigid  censorship  of  the  press  in  general  and  the 
suppression  of  such  publications  as  uttered  the  truth 
have  made  news  gathering  onerous."  See  page  319  of 
Senate  Document  No.  62  of  55th  Congress. 

In  the  last  letter  quoted  from  Consul  Williams  he 
states  again:  "Censorship  is  rigid,  and  the  oldest  daily 
there,  El  Diario  de  Manila,  and  another,  have  been  sus- 
pended by  public  order,  because  truth  was  told." 

Freedom  of  speech  and  the  press  was  one  of  the  es- 
sential reforms  for  which  the  Filipinos  were  then  fight- 
ing. To  present  the  truth  from  the  standpoint  of  an 
intelligent  native  Filipino  Catholic,  we  quote  again  from 
Mr.  Ramon  Reyes  Lala.  As  he  avows  himself  to  be  a 
loyal  Catholic,  no  one  need  imagine  that  this  is  intended 
as  an  attack  upon  that  church.    He  says : 


SPANISH  CENSORSHIP.  195 

'The  monks  have  opposed  every  attempt  at  reform. 
Their  poHcy  has  ever  been  the  poHcy  of  ignorance, 
knowing  that  their  Uvehhood  depended  upon  its  per- 
petuation. It  has  been  their  aim,  chiefly,  to  Hmit  pubhc 
instruction  to  the  mere  rudiments  of  knowledge,  giving 
to  every  subject  a  religious  bias.  Even  the  colleges  and 
the  university  of  Manila  are  not  free  from  their  narrow 
supervision,  while  they  have  ever  maintained  a  rigid 
censorship  over  the  press." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

OPPOSING  THE  WAR  FOR  FREEDOM. 

Following  up  the  former  policy  of  the  friars,  the 
American  government  adopted  the  censorship  system, 
and  soon  after  Consul  Williams'  last  letter  quoted,  we 
were  left  to  get  what  news  we  could,  in  spite  of  govern- 
mental editing  of  news  items,  intended,  as  is  evident 
enough  now,  to  conceal  the  truth. 

Friends  of  the  Spanish  priests  and  friars  in  Cuba, 
Porto  Rico  and  the  Philippines  besieged  the  president  in 
Washington.  The  pope  in  Rome  and  Archbishop  Ire- 
land of  St.  Paul  and  a  mighty  army  of  American  mer- 
cenaries, who,  from  selfish  motives,  feared  a  conflict, 
came  to  the  front. 

The  cause  of  freedom  was  to  be  sacrificed  still  for 
friars  and  financiers,  although  the  people  had  spoken  in 
thunder  tones.  Then  it  was  that  the  world  awoke  to  the 
fact  that  a  new  power  had  come  into  being,  and  a  new 
era  begun  on  earth. 

Though  the  agitation  against  Spanish  outrages  had 
reached  its  height  and  was  publicly  carried  on,  a  counter 
movement,  in  fact  a  secret  conspiracy,  was  being  con- 


196       THE  TRUTH   ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

cocted  to  counteract  the  tide  of  public  sentiment  and 
defeat  the  cause  of  freedom. 

The  friars  in  the  PhiHppines  and  their  friends  in  Amer- 
ica and  the  world  over,  forming  a  mighty  army,  with 
millions  of  resources  in  their  coffers,  had  high  friends 
at  court  and  in  the  field,  who  came  to  the  front  in  their 
behalf,  their  interests  being  identical  and  their  cause  one. 

The  archbishop  of  Manila,  whose  blasphemous  pas- 
torals against  Americans  and  Protestants  disgusted  all 
decent  people,  was  a  member  of  the  same  religious  order 
to  which  belonged  the  head  of  the  papal  legation  at 
Washington,  so  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  they 
worked  unitedly. 

Nor  is  it  any  wonder  that  they  united  their  forces  the 
world  over  to  work  for  the  defeat  of  those  wlio  threat- 
ened them. 

That  they  did  so,  the  following  quotations  would 
seem  to  show.  They  also  throw  a  little  light  upon  these 
words  in  Consul  Williams'  last  letter:  ^'During  the 
period  when  war  between  the  United  States  and  Spain 
was  expected,  which  seems  happily  now  to  be  disap- 
pearing"—  but  our  readers  are  left  to  judge  for  them- 
selves. 

In  the  Washington  Times  of  April  4,  1898,  it  was 
stated  that  Archbishop  Ireland,  Senator  Elkins  and 
President  McKinley  had  just  been  having  a  conference 
on  the  Spanish  trouble. 

On  April  12,  1898,  the  New  York  Journal  said: 
"Diplomatically,  Spain  occupies  a  splendid  position.  She 
has  done  everything  requested  of  her,  and  has  done  it  at 
the  suggestion  of  the  six  European  powers,  who  re- 
ceived their  inspiration  from  the  queen  regent,  who  in 
turn  was  operated  upon  by  the  pope,  and  the  pope's  in- 
terest was  secured  through  the  efiforts  of  Archbishop 


SPANISH   SYMPATHIZERS   PLOT.  197 

Ireland,  acting  for  the  administration  at  the  suggestion 
of  Mr.  Elkins." 

The  Chicago  Times-Herald  of  April  5  published  the 
following:  ''Madrid,  April  4. — The  Globo  (Spanish 
newspaper)  says:  'A  new  political  power  has  developed 
in  America  in  Archbishop  Ireland,  equal  to  that  of  Pres- 
ident Cleveland  and  President  McKinley.' " 

In  the  St.  Louis  Globe-Democrat  (Republican)  of 
April  5  was  the  following:  'Tt  has  been  generally  known 
that  Archbishop  Ireland  has  all  along  been  unfavorably 
disposed  toward  Cuba — he  has  been  in  sympathy  with 
Spain  rather  than  with  the  insurgents." 

Again  the  same  St.  Louis  paper  of  this  date  reads  as 
follows:  ''Rome,  April  4. — In  accordance  with  the  re- 
quest of  the  Globe-Democrat,  I  have  to-day  made  a  care- 
ful investigation  of  the  circumstances  in  connection 
with  the  alleged  intervention  of  the  pope  in  the  present 
Spanish-American  crisis. 

"It  is  utterly  untrue  that  the  pope  has  offered  to  medi- 
ate, or  that  the  Spanish  government  has  even  directly  or 
indirectly  requested  him  to  do  so.  What  has  happened 
is  as  follows:  Archbishop  Ireland  appears  to  have  tele- 
graphed, not  to  the  pope,  but  to  Archbishop  Keane  and 
Bishop  Dennis  O'Connell,  former  rector  of  the  Ameri- 
can college,  suggesting  that  the  intervention  of  the  pope 
to  avert  war  would  be  welcomed  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Archbishop  Ireland  is  understood  to 
have  cabled  to  Bishop  O'Connell  and  to  Archbishop 
Keane  that  the  main  thing  was  at  the  present  moment 
to  induce  Spain  to  grant  an  armistice  to  the  Cubans,  a 
concession  which  would  enable  the  President  to  delay 
and  ultimately  avert  war  with  Spain,  and  would  strength- 
en his  hands  sufficiently  to  prevent  it  being  forced  by 
Congress.  Cardinal  Rampolla  seems  to  have  communi- 
cated this  intimation,  not  officially,  but  privately,  to  the 
nuncio  at  Madrid,  who  in  turn  conveyed  it  to  the  queen 
regent  and  to  the  cabinet." 


198       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

A  dispatch  to  the  Times-Herald  from  Washington 
read  as  follows:  ''Shortly  after  the  blowing-  up  of  the 
Maine,  Ireland  was  asked  by  certain  political  friends  to 
use  his  influence  with  the  pope  in  diverting,  or  at  least 
postponing,  the  threatened  war  with  Spain.  In  accord- 
ance with  this  request  the  archbishop  wrote  to  his  friend, 
Cardinal  Vanutelli,  a  powerful  Roman  churchman,  and 
advised  him  to  approach  the  papal  secretary  of  state, 
Rampolla,  and  obtain  the  influence  of  Senor  Del  Val,  the 
Spanish  ambassador  to  the  papal  see.  But  little  was  ac- 
complished through  this  channel,  as  Senor  Del  Val  did 
not  sympathize  with  the  plan,  and  the  pope  appeared  un- 
willing to  take  an  equivocal  position.  Ambassador 
Draper,  Archbishop  Keane,  former  rector  of  the  Catho- 
lic university,  and  Mgr.  O'Connell,  of  Richmond,  all 
used  their  influence  to  bring  about  Archbishop  Ireland's 
desire,  without  success.  But  about  four  days  ago,  when 
the  Spanish  government  realized  that  not  one  of  the 
great  nations  of  Europe  would  espouse  her  cause,  the 
Spanish  ambassador  called  on  the  pope  and  signified  his 
wilHngness  to  accept  the  aid  proffered  by  the  American 
archbishop.  Cardinal  Rampolla  immediately  wired 
Archbishop  Ireland  to  see  President  McKinley  without 
delay." 

As  there  may  be  some  who  will  consider  this  state- 
ment of  fact  as  false,  and  an  aspersion  upon  President 
McKinley,  we  quote  his  own  words  regarding  this  armis- 
tice and  these  very  same  negotiations  entered  into  at 
that  time  to  arrange  it,  from  his  proclamation  of  April 
II,  1898: 

"To  this  end  I  submitted,  on  the  27th  ultimo,  as  a  re- 
sult of  much  representation  and  correspondence,  through 
the  United  States  minister  at  Madrid,  propositions  to 
the  Spanish  government  looking  to  an  armistice  until 


SPANISH   SYMPATHIZERS   PLOT.  199 

October  i  (1898),  for  the  negotiation  of  peace,  with  the 
good  offices  of  the  President." 

About  this  date  the  MinneapoHs  Times  said:  "Arch- 
bishop Ireland  begged  President  McKinley  not  to  do 
anything  that  would  lead  to  hostilities  with  Spain,  a 
nation  to  which  we  owe  so  much,  and  whose  dominant 
religion  has  so  many  adherents  in  this  country."  Arch- 
bishop Ireland  was  also  reported  by  the  daily  press  as 
saying:  "The  Catholic  church  takes  no  attitude  here, 
either  for  or  against  Spain." 

The  truthfulness  of  this  latter  statement  seems  cer- 
tain, as  the  vast  majority  of  American  Catholics  were 
not  in  sympathy  with  Spain  in  that  war. 

But  of  course  the  religious  orders  were.  This  is  incon- 
trovertible. All  their  power  and  that  of  the  world-wide 
Roman  Hierarchy  was  brought  to  bear  upon  the  gov- 
ernment at  Washington  to  prevent  that  war  for  freedom, 
which  the  American  conscience  was  calling  for  in  behalf 
of  the  "Concentradoes"  and  patriots  of  Cuba,  whose  suf- 
ferings had  horrified  humanity. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
CONGRESS  DECLARES  WAR  AGAINST  SPAIN. 

But  it  was  in  vain  that  secret  schemers  plotted  to 
defeat  the  will  of  the  people;  in  vain  had  President  Mc- 
Kinley appealed  to  his  political  henchmen  and  financial 
backers  to  help  him  turn  the  tide  or  stay  the  storm  that 
threatened  the  foes  of  freedom. 

The  people  spoke  irresistibly,  as  when  the  great  New 
York  conference  of  the  M.  E.  church,  in  its  session, 
April,  1898,  passed  this  resolution: 

"We  want  no  overtures  from  our  government  for  set- 


200       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

tlement  of  the  burning  questions  confronting  us  as  a 
nation,  based  upon  propositions  emanating  from  Rome. 
Let  efforts  emanating  from  that  source  exhaust  them- 
selves in  humanizing  and  civilizing  Spain.  American 
institutions  will  guard  their  own  honor." 

Then  at  last  President  McKinley,  finding  his  opposi- 
tion futile,  in  his  proclamation  of  April  ii,  1898,  in 
speaking  of  intervention,  said: 

"I  speak  not  of  forcible  annexation,  for  that  can- 
not be  thought  of.  That  by  our  code  of  morality  would 
be  criminal  aggression." 

In  which  same  message  the  President  said:  "The 
grounds  for  such  intervention  may  be  briefly  summar- 
ized as  follows: 

"First — In  the  cause  of  humanity  and  to  put  an  end  to 
the  barbarities,  bloodshed,  starvation  and  horrible  mis- 
eries now  existing  there  and  which  the  parties  to  the 
conflict  are  either  unable  or  unwilling  to  stop  or  miti- 
gate." 

On  the  19th  of  April,  1898,  the  United  States  Con- 
gress passed  its  joint  resolution  declaring:  "First,  that 
the  people  of  the  Island  of  Cuba  are,  and  of  a  right  ought 
to  be,  free  and  independent.  (The  language  of  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence.) 

"Second — That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  United  States  to 
demand,  and  the  government  of  the  United  States  does 
hereby  demand,  that  the  government  of  Spain  at  once 
relinquish  its  'authority  and  government  in  the  island  of 
Cuba  and  withdraw  its  land  and  naval  forces  from  Cuba 
and  Cuban  waters.' 

"Third— That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be 
and  he  hereby  is  directed  and  empowered  to  use  the 
entire  land  and  naval  forces  of  the  United  States  and  to 
call  into  actual  service  of  the  United  States  the  militia 
of  the  United  States  to  such  an  extent  as  may  be  neces- 
sary to  carry  these  resolutions  into  effect. 


WAR  DECLARED  AGAINST  SPAIN.  201 

'Tourth — That  the  United  States  hereby  disclaims  any 
disposition  or  intention  to  exercise  sovereignty,  jurisdic- 
tion or  control  over  said  island,  except  for  the  pacifica- 
tion thereof,  and  asserts  its  determination  when  that  is 
accomplished  to  leave  the  government  and  control  of  the 
island  to  its  people." 

On  April  25,  1898,  war  was  formally  declared  by  Con- 
gress against  Spain,  and  this  act  was  approved  by  the 
President  on  the  same  date. 

As  late  as  October,  1899,  President  McKinley,  in  his 
address  at  the  Peace  Jubilee  in  Chicago  declared:  "The 
war  with  Spain  was  undertaken,  not  that  the  United 
States  should  increase  its  territory,  but  that  the  oppres- 
sion at  our  doors  should  be  stopped.  This  noble  senti- 
ment must  continue  to  animate  us,  and  we  must  give  to 
the  world  a  full  demonstration  of  the  sincerity  of  our 
purpose." 

In  1890  Mr.  McKinley  also  said  in  his  address  at  the 
New  England  dinner  in  New  York  city:  "Human 
rights  and  constitutional  privileges  must  not  be  for- 
gotten in  the  race  for  wealth  and  commercial  supremacy. 
The  government  by  the  people  must  be  by  the  people 
and  not  a  few  of  the  people.  It  must  rest  upon  the  free 
consent  of  the  governed.  Power,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered, which  is  secured  by  oppression,  or  usurpation,  or 
by  any  form  of  injustice,  is  soon  dethroned." 

These  were  noble  words,  uttered  honestly,  as  we  be- 
lieve, by  President  McKinley  before  he  was  buffeted 
about,  as  he  has  been  since. 

When  it  was  discovered  that  neither  pope  nor  pre- 
late, president  nor  preacher,  politician  nor  diplomat, 
friar  nor  financier,  could  then  defeat  the  popular  will, 
the  subtle  foes  of  freedom  fell  back  with  as  good  grace 
as  possible  to  bide  a  better  time  for  their  secret  pur- 
poses, and  the  leading  papers  published  the  following: 


202       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

That  they  did  all  in  their  power  to  avert  a  war  with 
Spain,  ''the  Most  Catholic  Nation,"  is  known  to  all;  and 
that  they  succeeded  in  holding  the  President's  arm  until 
the  people  rose  in  their  might  and  demanded  action,  is  not 
denied  by  men  who  are  in  touch  with  affairs  in  Wash- 
ington. But  at  last  the  President  was  compelled  to  yield 
to  the  people,  and  on-  Saturday,  April  i6,  1898,  the  big 
daiHes  said: 

"Washington,  April  16. — Within  a  short  time  Arch- 
bishop Ireland  will  make  a  public  reply  to  the  attacks 
upon  him.  He  will  then  proceed  to  Rome.  The  date  on 
which  this  document  is  to  be  published  has  not  been 
fixed.  All  that  can  be  learned  concerning  it  is  the  simple 
expression,  'The  publication  of  this  letter  will  be  timely.' 
It  will  go  into  details  and  show  how  he  became  involved 
in  the  Cuban  fight. 

"When  the  pope  was  begged  by  the  queen  regent  to 
use  his  good  offices  for  the  preservation  of  peace,  it  be- 
came necessary  that  some  one  at  W^ashington  should  be 
in  a  position  to  send  him  hourly  bulletins,  if  necessary,  of 
the  attitude  of  the  administration.  It  was  determined  that 
the  close  and  cordial  friendship  which  existed  between 
Archbishop  Ireland  and  President  McKinley,  joined  to 
the  fact  that  he  is  an  eminent  American  citizen,  made  him 
the  best  possible  representative  of  the  pope.  He  re- 
ceived a  formal  letter  from  Cardinal  RampoUa  authoriz- 
ing him  to  speak  for  the  pope  in  this  Cuban  crisis.  This 
was  presented  to  Judge  Day,  and  semi-official  relations 
were  begun.  The  archbishop's  mission  has  been  to  find 
and  make  practicable  some  plan  of  honorable  peace.  He 
has  not  yet  given  up  hope  of  success.  He  desires  to  bring 
about  a  congress  of  nations. 

"Archbishop  Ireland  left  last  night  on  the  midnight 
train  for  New  York,  accompanied  by  Professor  Pace  of 
the  Catholic  University.  Mgr.  Ireland  will  have  several 
conferences  with  men  in  New  York  who  are  in  touch 
with  affairs,  but  he  is  convinced  that  any  further  efforts 
to  induce  the  United  States  to  postpone  action,  would  be 
in  vain.    When  the  President  sent  his  message  to  Con- 


THE   OPPOSITION   APOLOGIZES.  203 

gress  on  Monday,  Archbishop  Ireland  went  to  Baltimore, 
where  he  held  a  conference  with  Cardinal  Gibbons  about 
the  situation.  The  two  prelates  held  the  same  view — 
that  everything  possible  had  been  done,  and  there  would 
be  no  benefit  derived  from  carrying  the  negotiations  fur- 
ther. This  view  was  communicated  to  the  Vatican.  Yes- 
terday a  message  was  received  expressing  the  profound 
regret  of  Pope  Leo  XIII.  at  the  prospect  of  war,  and 
containing  a  prayer  that  hostilities  might  yet  be  averted. 
Archbishop  Ireland  took  this  message  as  meaning  that 
his  mission  had  closed,  and  left  the  city.  He  may  go  to 
St.  Paul  from  New  York,  or  he  may  go  to  Washington 
en  route  to  his  home." 

And  this  dispatch  was  published  in  the  Baltimore  Sun : 

''An  intimate  friend  of  Archbishop  Ireland  was  in  Wil- 
mington this  afternoon,  and  said  to  one  of  the  leading 
priests  in  this  diocese  that  the  church  officials  had  infor- 
mation that  the  war  between  the  United  States  and  Spain 
would  probably  be  ended  within  ten  days,  or  in  a  short 
period.  The  church  authorities  learn,  it  is  said,  that  the 
powers  have  decided  to  interfere  with  Spain  to  bring  the 
war  to  an  end,  as  the  European  countries  do  not  want 
Spain  to  plunge  further  into  bankruptcy.  It  was  stated 
that  the  government  at  Washington  understands  this  part 
of  the  situation,  and  that  Havana  will  not  be  bombarded. 
Spain  will  agree  to  withdraw  from  Cuba  after  firing  a  few 
shots  to  make  a  show  at  war.  The  powers  will  guaran- 
tee the  dynasty  of  Spain." 

Then  came  the  secret  deals,  to  defeat  freedom,  justice 
and  right. 

We  quote  the  following  from  a  letter  dated  Rome,  June 
II,  1898,  to  the  St.  Louis  Globe-Democrat,  discussing 
titles  to  Spanish  possessions: 

"As  pointed  out  to  me  to-day  by  a  foreign  diplomat 
accredited  to  the  Vatican,  and  who  has  spent  many  years 
of  his  life  in  that  capacity,  there  is  no  power,  in  the  world, 
not  even  Italy  itself,  which  from  time  immemorial  has 
maintained  such  intimate  relations  with  the  papacy  as 


204      THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Spain.  The  latter  has  always  been  the  chief  ally  of  the 
Holy  See  in  combatting  the  reformation,  and,  since  the 
council  of  Trent,  the  theology  and  philosophy  have  been 
Spanish  rather  than  Roman.  Moreover,  the  three  most 
influential  members  of  the  sacred  college  at  the  present 
moment,  namely.  Cardinals  Rampolla,  Jacobini  and 
Mocenni,  have  all  spent  long  years  as  nuncios  in  Madrid, 
and  are  avowedly  pro-Spanish,  while  the  favorite  prelate 
in  attendance  on  the  Holy  Father  and  the  one  who  en- 
joys to  the  greatest  degree  his  confidence  and  affection, 
is  Mgr.  Merry  Del  Val,  the  son  of  the  Spanish  ambassa- 
dor here. 

"The  Pontiff  thoroughly  disapproved  of  the  present  lib- 
eral cabinet  in  Spain,  and  deplored  the  policy  which  it 
has  pursued,  as  well  as  the  neglect  of  which  its  mem- 
bers have  been  guilty  in  making  proper  preparations  for 
the  conflict  with  the  United  States.  Premier  Sagasta  has 
never  stood  well  here,  owing  to  the  fact  of  his  being  the 
grand  master  of  Freemasonry  in  Spain,  while  the  Liber- 
als, whenever  in  office,  have  incurred  the  animosity  of  the 
Holy  See  by  introducing  reforms  that  were  antagonistic 
to  the  church. 

*'But  the  relations  of  the  Holy  Father  with  the  queen 
regent  remain  as  intimate  as  ever.  He  is  in  constant 
communication  with  her,  and  although  since  the  rejec- 
tion by  the  United  States  of  his  offers  of  mediation,  he 
has  been  forced  to  maintain  an  officially  neutral  attitude 
for  fear  of  offending  the  influential  Catholic  element  in 
the  United  States,  yet  he  has  never  ceased  for  a  moment 
to  labor  through  his  nuncios,  and  particularly  through 
the  Order  of  the  Jesuits,  for  an  intervention  by  the  con- 
tinental powers  in  behalf  of  Spain.  He  is  perfectly  indif- 
ferent to  the  loss  of  Cuba,  but  desires  at  all  costs  to 
maintain  the  queen  regent  and  her  son  on  the  throne 
of  Spain,  and  likewise  to  secure  the  retention  by  Spain 
of  the  Philippine  Islands,  where  the  Roman  Catholic 
church  owns  vast  property. 

"The  Holy  Father  takes  the  view  that  both  the  Philip- 
pine Islands  and  Cuba  are,  strictly  speaking,  the  property 
of  the  papacy.  Spain  holding  them  from  the  Holy  See 
as  fiefs  granted  three  centuries   ago,  and   Leo  XIII. 


PLOTTING  FOR  THE  FRIARS.  205 

claims  that  from  the  moment  that  Spain  ceases  to  fulfill 
the  conditions  of  the  fief  and  is  unable  to  retain  control 
of  these  dependencies,  the  fief  ceases  to  be  in  operation, 
and  the  dependencies  revert  to  the  Holy  See. 

"While  the  Pontiff  is  not  prepared  to  put  forward  any 
arguments  on  this  score  with  regard  to  the  Antilles, 
where  the  church  interests  are  relatively  unimportant,  he 
is  doing  so  in  the  case  of  the  Philippines,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  that  were  France  or  even  Germany  to  secure  from 
Spain  a  lease  of  the  Philippines  in  return  for  an  advance 
of  the  money  needed  to  pay  the  war  indemnity,  which 
will  doubtless  be  exacted  by  the  United  States,  the  theo- 
retical claim  of  either  of  these  two  leading  powers  might 
be  strengthened  by  a  transfer  to  them  of  the  fiefs  by  the 
papacy." 

The  foregoing  evidence  has  been  educed  at  this  point 
in  its  chronological  order,  that  all  may  realize  the  real 
reasons  for  the  war  against  the  Filipinos  as  we  go  farther 
into  the  history  of  affairs  after  the  battle  of  Manila  Bay 
and  the  surrender  of  Manila. 

As  has  already  been  shown  by  the  evidence  of  Roman 
Catholic  witnesses,  the  property  held  directly  or  indi- 
rectly by  the  Roman  church  or  organizations  of  that 
church  was  something  enormous,  amounting  to  hun- 
dreds of  millions  of  dollars  worth,  held  against  the  will 
of  the  native  Filipinos. 

If  the  people  of  the  Philippines  became  possessors  of 
their  rights  and  came  into  control  of  their  own  govern- 
ment, then  the  possession  of  these  vast  estates  would  re- 
vert from  the  friars  or  Spanish  priests,  back  to  these  peo- 
ple whom  they  had  dispossessed  of  them. 

To  defeat  this  just  claim  of  the  Filipino  people,  they 
must  be  beaten  by  fair  means  or  foul,  or  both  if  need 
be,  and  for  this  purpose  all  possible  efforts  of  the  friars 
and  their  friends,  political  and  religious,  were  exerted  to 
the  utmost. 


206       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Spain  having  supported  them  in  th^ir  scheme  of  spoli- 
ation they  had  in  turn  supported  Spain  in  her  tyranny 
and  robbery  until  their  rottenness  had  rendered  her  help- 
less either  to  defend  herself  or  protect  her  priestly  pro- 
teges, the  friars. 

But  for  the  further  development  of  the  facts  we  will 
wait  till  the  records  reveal  them,  turning  briefly  again  to 
the  evidence  in  the  case  as  produced  before  the  Paris 
peace  commission  and  reported  in  the  official  records. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

CALL   FOR  FILIPINO   CO-OPERATION   COMPLIED 
WITH. 

On  page  337  of  Senate  Document  No.  62  we  find  the 
following  in  a  letter  from  Consul  General  Wildman  to 
Mr.  Moore  of  the  state  department  at  Washington,  dated 
Hongkong,  July  18,  1898: 

''On  the  3d  of  November  (1897)  Mr.  F.  Agoncilla,  late 
minister  of  foreign  affairs  in  Aguinaldo's  cabinet,  called 
upon  me,  and  made  a  proposal  which  I  transmitted  to 
the  state  department  in  my  dispatch  No.  19,  dated  No- 
vember 3,  1897.  In  reply  the  state  department  instructed 
me  'to  courteously  decline  to  communicate  with  the  de- 
partment further  regarding  the  alleged  mission/  I 
obeyed  these  instructions  to  the  letter  until  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war,  when,  after  consultation  with  Admiral 
Dewey,  I  received  a  delegation  from  the  insurgent 
junta.  *  *  *  At  this  time  their  president,  Aguinaldo, 
was  in  Singapore  negotiating  through  Consul  General 
Pratt  with  Admiral  Dewey  for  his  return. 

"On  April  27th,  in  company  with  Consul  O.  F.  Will- 
iams, we  received  another  delegation.  .  .  .  We 
agreed  on  behalf  of  Dewey  to  allow  two  of  their  number 
to  accompany  the  fleet  to  Manila.  Consequently  on  the 
same  day  I  took  in  the  tug  Fame,  Alejandrino  and  Gar- 


CONSUL  WILLIAMS'  EVIDENCE.  207 

chitorena,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Sandico,  to  the  Olympia 
in  Mirs  Bay." 

We  wish  to  remind  our  readers  again  that  this  is  the 
General  Alejandrino  to  whom  Mr.  Foreman  refers  on 
page  462  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2,  as  **an- 
other  chief  *  *  *  Alejandrino.  He  had  fled,  but  re- 
turned, and  is  one  of  the  leaders  now" — that  being  Octo- 
ber, 1898. 

He  is  also  the  same  general  who  wrote  Senators  Hoar 
and  Pettigrew  on  April  12,  1900,  confirming  Aguinaldo's 
statements  of  promises  made  the  Filipinos  concerning 
their  future  freedom  and  independence,  which  Admiral 
Dewey,  following  his  usual  line  of  defense,  denies  in  toto. 

He  it  was  who  with  Aguinaldo  organized  the  rebellion 
in  1896  and  then  returned  to  renew  it  with  irresistible 
vigor  in  1898. 

On  page  325  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  in  a  letter 
written  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Baltimore  under  date  of 
May  4,  1898,  Consul  Williams  wrote:  "I  have  the  honor 
briefly  to  report  to  you  concerning  the  battle  of  Manila 
Bay,  fought  on  May  i,  1898."  In  his  next  jetter  of  May 
12,  he  stated,  on  page  328:  "Expulsion  of  Spaniards, 
naval,  civil,  military  and  clerics,  will  remove  all  discord 
and  danger,  and  civil  government,  crude  in  the  beginning 
but  better  than  the  present,  will  be  easy  and  well  re- 
ceived, while  native  priests,  of  which  there  are  many,  can 
fully  and  with  perfect  acceptability  meet  all  religious  re- 
quirements so  far  as  present  established  religion  is  con- 
cerned." 

In  this  same  letter,  on  page  327,  Consul  Williams 
states:  "An  insurgent  leader.  Major  Gonzales,  reported 
to  me  last  week  on  the  Olympia,  that  they  had  37,000 
troops  under  arms,  good  and  bad,  surrounding  Manila, 
endeavoring  to  co-operate  with  us.     In  the  main,  they 


208       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

are  poorly  armed,  but  have  about  6,600  rifles  taken  from 
the  Spaniards.  They  have  captured  the  entire  railroad 
line  and  the  River  Pasig,  thus  cutting  off  supply  lines, 
while  we,  by  cutting  off  supply  by  land  and  sea,  can  soon 
starve  Manila  into  surrender." 

On  pages  341  and  342  of  Senate  Document  No.  62  is 
the  follov/ing  letter  from  Consul  General  Pratt  of  Sing- 
apore to  Secretary  of  State  Day: 

''Singapore,  April  28,  1898. — Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to 
report  that  I  sent  you  on  the  27th  instant,  and  confirmed 
in  my  dispatch,  No.  211  of  that  date,  a  telegram,  which, 
deciphered,  read  as  follows: 

'''Secretary  of  State,  Washington:  General  Aguin- 
aldo  gone  my  instance  Hongkong  arrange  with  Dewey 
co-operation  insurgents  Manila.  Pratt.' 

"The  facts  are  these:  On  the  evening  of  Saturday,  the 
23d  instant,  I  was  confidentially  informed  of  the  arrival 
here,  incognito,  of  the  supreme  leader  of  the  Philippine 
insurgents.  General  Emilio  Aguinaldo,  by  H.  W.  Bray, 
an  English  gentleman  of  high  standing,  who,  after  fifteen 
years'  residence  as  a  merchant  and  planter  in  the  Philip- 
pines, had  been  compelled  by  the  disturbed  condition  of 
things  resul|,ing  from  Spanish  misrule,  to  abandon  his 
property  and  leave  there,  and  from  whom  I  had  pre- 
viously obtained  much  valuable  information  for  Com- 
modore Dewey  regarding  fortifications,  coal  deposits, 
etc.,  at  different  points  in  the  islands.  Being  aware  of  the 
great  prestige  of  General  Aguinaldo  with  the  insurgents, 
and  that  no  one,  either  at  home  or  abroad,  could  exert 
over  them  the  same  influence  and  control  that  he  could, 
I  determined  at  once  to  see  him,  and,  at  my  request,  a 
secret  interview  was  accordingly  arranged  for  the  follow- 
ing morning,  Sunday,  the  24th,  in  which,  besides  Gen- 
eral Aguinaldo,  were  only  present  the  general's  trusted 
advisers  and  Mr.  Bray,  who  acted  as  interpreter. 

"At  this  interview,  after  learning  from  General  Aguin- 
aldo the  state  of  and  object  sought  to  be  obtained  by  the 
present  insurrectionary  movement,  which,  though  absent 
from  the  Philippines,  he  was  still  directing,  I  took  it  upon 


CONSUL-GENERAL    WILDMAN'S    EVIDENCE    209 

myself,  whilst  explaining  that  I  had  no  authority  to 
speak  for  the  government,  to  point  out  the  danger  of 
continuing  independent  action  at  this  stage,  and  having 
convinced  him  of  the  expediency  of  co-operating  with 
our  fleet  then  at  Hongkong,  and  obtained  his  willingness 
to  proceed  thither  and  confer  with  Commodore  Dewey 
to  that  end,  should  the  latter  so  desire,  I  telegraphed  the 
commodore  the  same  day  as  follows,  through  our  con- 
sul-general at  Hongkong: 

''  'Aguinaldo,  insurgent  leader,  here.  Will  come 
Hongkong;  arrange  with  commodore  for  general  co- 
operation insurgents  Manila  if  desired.  Pratt.' 

"The  commodore's  reply  reading  thus :  Tell  Aguinaldo 
come  soon  as  possible.    Dewey.' 

"I  received  it  late  that  night  and  at  once  communicated 
to  General  Aguinaldo,  who,  with  his  aid-de-camp  and 
private  secretary,  all  under  assumed  names,  I  succeeded 
in  getting  off  by  the  British  steamer  Malacca,  which  left 
here  Tuesday,  the  26th.     *     *     * 

'The  general  impressed  me  as  a  man  of  intelligence, 
ability  and  courage  and  worthy  of  the  confidence  that 
had  been  placed  in  him.  I  think  that  in  arranging  for 
his  direct  co-operation  with  the  commander  of  our  forces, 
I  have  prevented  possible  conflict  of  action  and  facili- 
tated the  work  of  occupying  and  administering  the  Phil- 
ippines. If  this  course  of  mine  meets  with  the  govern- 
ment's approval,  as  I  trust  it  may,  I  shall  be  satisfied. 
To  Mr.  Bray,  however,  I  consider  there  is  due  some 
special  recognition  for  most  valuable  services  rendered. 
How  that  recognition  can  best  be  made  I  leave  to  you  to 
decide.    I  have,  etc.,  E.  Spencer  Pratt, 

United  States  Consul-General. 

.On  page  337  of  the  same  document  is  a  letter  which 
General  Wildman  wrote  from  Hongkong,  in  which  he 
stated : 

''On  May  2  Aguinaldo  arrived  in  Hongkong  and  im- 
mediately called  on  me.  It  was  May  16  before  1  could 
obtain  permission  from  Admiral  Dewey  to  allow  Agui- 
naldo to  go  by  the  United  States  ship  McCulloch,  and 


210       THE  TRUTH   ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

I  put  him  on  board  in  the  night,  so  as  to  save  any  com- 
plications with  the  local  government.  Immediately  on 
the  arrival  of  Aguinaldo  at  Cavite  he  issued  a  proclama- 
tion, which  I  had  outUned  for  him  before  he  left,  for- 
bidding pillage,  and  making  it  a  criminal  offense  to  mal- 
treat neutrals.  He,  of  course,  organized  a  government 
of  which  he  was  dictator,  an  absolutely  necessary  step  if 
he  hoped  to  maintain  control  over  the  natives,  and  from 
that  date  until  the  present  time  he  has  been  uninter- 
ruptedly successful  in  the  field  and  dignified  and  just  as 
the  head  of  his  government.  According  to  his  own 
statements  to  me  by  letter,  he  has  been  approached  by 
both  the  Spaniards  and  the  Germans,  and  has  had  tempt- 
ing offers  made  him  by  the  Catholic  Church.  He  has 
been  watched  very  closely  by  Admiral  Dewey,  Consul 
Williams  and  his  own  junta  here  in  Hongkong,  and  noth- 
ing of  moment  has  occurred  which  would  lead  any  one 
to  believe  that  he  was  not  carrying  out  to  the  letter  the 
promises  made  to  me  in  this  consulate.  The  insurgents 
are  fighting  for  freedom  from  the  Spanish  rule,  and  rely 
upon  the  well-known  sense  of  justice  that  controls  all 
the  actions  of  our  government  as  to  their  future. 

''In  conclusion,  I  wish  to  put  myself  on  record  as  stat- 
ing that  the  insurgent  government  of  the  Philippines  can- 
not be  dealt  with  as  though  they  were  North  American 
Indians,  willing  to  be  removed  from  one  reservation  to 
another,  at  the  whim  of  their  masters.  If  the  United 
States  decides  not  to  retain  the  Philippine  Islands,  its 
10,000,000  people  will  demand  independence,  and  the 
attempt  of  any  foreign  nation  to  obtain  territory  or  coal- 
ing stations  will  be  resisted  with  the  same  spirit  with 
which  they  fought  the  Spaniards. 

"I  have  the  honor,  etc.,      Rounseville  Wildman, 

"Consul-General." 

We  quote  Admiral  Dewey's  account  of  these  occur- 
rences as  given  to  the  first  Philippine  Commission  and 
repeated  in  their  preliminary  official  report: 

"The  following  memorandum  on  this  subject  has  been 
furnished  the  commission  by  Admiral  Dewey: 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  EVIDENCE.  211 

"  'Memorandum  of  Relations  With  Aguinaldo. 

"  *On  April  24,  1898,  the  following  cipher  dispatch 
was  received  at  Hongkong  from  Mr.  E.  Spencer  Pratt, 
United  States  consul-general  at  Singapore:  "Aguinaldo, 
insurgent  leader,  here.  Will  come  Hongkong;  arrange 
with  commodore  for  general  co-operation  insurgents  Ma- 
nila if  desired.     Telegraph.  Pratt." 

"  *On  the  same  day  Commodore  Dewey  telegraphed 
Mr.  Pratt:  "Tell  Aguinaldo  come  soon  as  possible,"  the 
necessity  for  haste  being  due  to  the  fact  that  the  squad- 
ron had  been  notified  by  the  Hongkong  government  to 
leave  those  waters  by  the  following  day.  The  squadron 
left  Hongkong  on  the  morning  of  the  25th  and  Mirs  bay 
on  the  27th.  Aguinaldo  did  not  leave  Singapore  until 
the  26th,  and  so  did  not  arrive  in  Hongkong  in  time  to 
have  a  conference  with  the  admiral. 

"  Tt  had  been  reported  to  the  commodore  as  early  as 
March  i,  by  the  United  States  consul  at  Manila  and  oth- 
ers, that  the  Filipinos  had  broken  out  into  insurrection 
against  the  Spanish  authority  in  the  vicinity  of  Manila, 
and  on  March  30  Mr.  Williams  had  telegraphed:  "Five 
thousand  rebels  armed  in  camp  near  city.  Loyal  to  us  in 
case  of  war." 

"  'Upon  the  arrival  of  the  squadron  at  M'anila  it  was 
found  that  there  was  no  insurrection  to  speak  of,  and 
it  was  accordingly  decided  to  allow  Aguinaldo  to  come  to 
Cavite  on  board  the  McCulloch.  He  arrived  with  thir- 
teen of  his  staff  on  May  19,  and  immediately  came  on 
board  the  Olympia  to  call  on  the  commander  in  chief, 
after  which  he  was  allowed  to  land  at  Cavite  and  organize 
an  army.  This  was  done  with  the  purpose  of  strength- 
ening the  United  States  forces  and  weakening  those  of 
the  enemy.  No  alliance  of  any  kind  was  entered  into  with 
Aguinaldo,  nor  was  any  promise  of  independence  made 
to  him,  then  or  at  any  other  time.'  " 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  famous  proclamation 
issued  by  Aguinaldo  when  he  first  landed  at  Cavite. 

Consul-General  Wildman  and  Consul  Williams  both 
bear  testimony  to  the  fact  that  he  enforced  it  faith- 
fully throughout. 


212       THE  TRUTH   ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

We  have  already  quoted  these  statements  and  those 
of  others  to  the  same  effect  and  so  will  not  repeat  them 
save  Mr.  Wildman's  that  he  '^outlined"  this  proclamation. 
"FILIPINOS. 

*The  great  North  American  nation,  a  nation  of  true 
liberty  and  therefore  desirous  of  the  liberty  of  our  peo- 
ple, oppressed  and  subjugated  by  the  tyranny  and 
despotism  of  our  rulers,  has  just  extended  to  the  in- 
habitants here  its  protection,  as  powerful  as  it  is  be- 
yond doubt  disinterested,  considering  us  to  be  pos- 
sessed of  sufficient  civilization  and  aptitude  to  govern 
for  ourselves  this  unhappy  land;  and  in  order  to  con- 
tinue to  enjoy  this  so  high  opinion  which  we  deserve  at 
the  hands  of  the  great  North  American  nation,  we  ought 
to  detest  all  those  acts  which  are  at  variance  with  this 
opinion.  Such  acts  are:  Pillage,  theft  and  every  sort 
of  disregard  for  personal  and  property  rights.  With  a 
view  to  avoiding  international  complication  during  the 
period  of  our  campaign  I  decree  the  following: 

''Article  i.  The  lives  and  property  of  all  strangers 
shall  be  respected,  including  under  this  title  the  Chinese, 
as  well  as  all  Spaniards  who  neither  directly  nor  indi- 
rectly have  assisted  in  making  war  upon  us. 

"Art.  2.  The  lives  and  property  of  those  of  the  enemy 
who  shall  lay  down  their  arms  shall  likewise  be  respect- 
ed. 

"Art.  3.  All  hospitals  and  ambulances,  together  with 
the  persons  and  effects  (including  stores)  therein,  shall 
be  respected  unless  hostility  be  shown. 

"Art.  4.  Those  who  disobey  the  orders  given  in  the 
three  articles  foregoing  shall  be  tried  by  summary  court, 
and,  if  their  disobedience  shall  cause  assassinations,  fires, 
thefts  or  violations,  shall  be  shot. 

"Given  in  Cavite,  May  24,  1898. 

[Seal.]  "Emilio  Aguinaldo^." 

"Special  cable  dispatch  to  the  Chicago  Inter  Ocean, 
Mav  19,  1898: 

"Madrid,  May  18  (1898).— It  Is  officially  declared  that 
reforms  were  offered  to  Aguinaldo  and  the  insurgent 


MONKS  AGREED  TO  GO.  213 

leaders  in  the  Philippines,  who  submitted  to  the  terms 
of  the  government,  but  the  difficulty  was  in  the  expulsion 
of  the  monks,  which  is  the  principal  point  with  the  na- 
tives. The  difficulty  was  increased  by  the  powerful  re- 
ligious influence  exercised  by  the  monks.  The  gov- 
ernment was  embarrassed  and  had  a  parley  with  the  supe- 
riors of  the  monks,  who  consented  to  withdraw  them 
from  the  colony. 

"The  monks  are  aware  that  if  the  Americans  take 
possession  of  the  Philippines  their  exploitation  of  the 
islands  will  end,  and  they  therefore  hope  now  to  save 
what  is  possible,  and  demand  compensation  from  the 
Spanish  government." 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

DECLARATION   OF   PHILIPPINE   INDEPENDENCE 
AND    REVOLUTIONARY   GOVERNMENT. 

On  page  329  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  under  date 
of  June  16,  1898,  is  a  letter  from  Consul  Williams  to  Sec- 
retary of  State  Day,  in  whicli  he  states: 

"I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  since  our  squadron  de- 
stroyed the  Spanish  fleet  on  May  i,  the  insurgent  forces 
have  been  most  active  and  uniformly  successful  in  their 
many  encounters  with  the  crown  forces  of  Spain.  Gen- 
eral Emilio  Aguinaldo,  the  insurgent  chief,  who  was  de- 
ported late  in  1897,  returned  recently  to  Cavite  and  re- 
sumed direction  of  insurgent  forces.  .  .  .  The  in- 
surgents have  defeated  the  Spaniards  at  all  points  ex- 
cept at  a  fort  near  Malate,  and  hold  not  only  North  Lu- 
zon to  the  suburbs  of  Manila,  but  Batangas  Province; 
also  the  bay  coast,  entire,  save  the  city  of  Manila,  While 
the  Spaniards  cruelly  and  barbarously  slaughter  Fili- 
pinos taken  in  arms,  and  often  non-combatants,  women 
and  children,  the  insurgent  victors,  following  American 
example,  spare  life,  protect  the  helpless,  and  nurse,  feed 
and  care  for  Spaniards  taken  prisoners  and  for  Spanish 
wounded  as  kindly  as  they  care  for  the  wounded  fallen 


214       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

from  their  own  ranks.     .     .     .     Last  Sunday,  12th,  they 
held  a  council  to  form  a  provisional  government." 

On  that  day  they  declared  Filipino  independence. 

The  day  after  the  Philippine  declaration  of  independ- 
ence the  following  dispatch  was  made  public  through 
the  press: 

''London,  June  13  (1898). — The  Rome  correspondent 
of  the  Standard  says:  Owing  to  the  serious  news  from 
the  Philippines  the  Pope  wired  the  Queen  Regent  of 
Spain  placing  his  services  at  her  disposal  if  she  consid- 
ered that  the  time  had  arrived  for  the  intervention  of  the 
powers  in  favor  of  Spain.  The  Queen  Regent  in  reply 
telegraphed  her  thanks,  saying  that  at  an  opportune  mo- 
ment she  would  feel  the  Pope's  offer  to  be  precious." 

A  Madrid  dispatch  said:  *'Senor  Romero  Giron,  the 
Spanish  Minister  of  Colonies,  in  the  course  of  a  recent 
interview,  expressed  the  opinion  that  nothing  short  of  a 
miracle  could  save  Manila."  This  was  before  a  single 
American  soldier  had  been  shipped  to  the  Philippines. 

On  June  23rd,  1898,  after  the  declaration  of  indepen- 
dence and  a  dictatorial  form  of  government,  the  follow- 
ing messages,  to  be  seen  upon  pages  94  to  96  of  Senate 
document  No.  208  of  the  56th  Congress,  proclaimed  a 
revolutionary  government,  and  especial  attention  is 
called  to  the  first  message  from  Aguinaldo  as  president 
of  the  revolutionary  government  following: 

MESSAGE  OF  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  PHILIPPINE 
REVOLUTIONARY  GOVERNMENT. 
*Tf  it  is  true — and  it  is  true — that  a  political  revolution, 
well  conceived,  is  the  violent  means  which  a  people  em- 
ploys in  order  to  recover  the  sovereignty  which  nat- 
urally belongs  to  it  and  which  has  been  usurped  and 
trampled  upon  by  a  tyrannical  and  arbitrary  govern- 
ment, then  the  Philippine  revolution  could  not  have  been 


AGUINALDO'S  PRESIDENTIAL  MESSAGE.      215 

more  just,  for  the  people  have  had  recourse  to  it  after 
exhausting  all  peaceful  means  counseled  by  reason  and 
experience. 

"The  former  kings  of  Castile  bound  themselves  to  re- 
gard the  Philippines  as  a  sister  nation,  associated  with 
Spain  in  perfect  unison  of  views  and  interests,  and  by  the 
constitution  of  18 12  promulgated  at  Cadiz  on  the  occa- 
sion of  the  war  of  Spanish  independence,  these  islands 
were  represented  in  the  Spanish  Cortes;  but  the  interests 
of  the  monastic  corporations,  which  have  always  met 
with  unconditional  support  from  the  Spanish  Govern- 
ment, have  taken  from  them  this  sacred  duty,  and  the 
Philippines  have  been  excluded  from  the  Spanish  con- 
stitution and  its  people  left  to  the  mercy  of  the  discretion- 
ary and  arbitrary  powers  of  the  general  government. 

"Under  such  circumstances  the  people  clamored  for 
justice,  and  asked  of  the  mother  country  the  recognition 
and  restitution  of  their  secular  rights  by  means  of  re- 
forms which  would  gradually  assimilate  them  with  Spain. 
But  their  voices  were  promptly  drowned  and  the  reward 
of  their  abnegation  was  exile,  martyrdom  and  death. 
The  religious  corporations,  with  whose  interests — al- 
ways opposed  to  those  of  the  Philippine  people — the 
Spanish  Government  has  identified  itself,  jeered  at  these 
claims  and  answered,  with  the  knowledge  and  consent  of 
that  same  government,  that  the  liberty  of  Spain  had  cost 
blood. 

"What  other  recourse  was  there  left  to  the  people  to  re- 
cover their  lost  rights?  They  had  no  other  means  but 
force,  and,  convinced  of  this,  they  have  had  recourse  to 
revolution. 

"And  now  they  no  longer  limit  their  claims  to  the  as- 
similation with  the  political  constitution  of  Spain,  but  ask 
for  definite  separation  from  her;  they  are  fighting  for 


2l6       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

their  independence,  firmly  convinced  that  the  time  has 
come  when  they  can  and  must  govern  themselves. 

'*So  they  have  constituted  a  revolutionary  government, 
based  upon  Mrise  and  just  laws,  adapted  to  the  abnormal 
conditions  through  which  they  were  passing,  and  at  the 
same  time  preparing  them  to  become  a  republic.  Taking 
reason  as  the  only  guide  for  their  actions,  justice  as  the 
only  end,  and  honorable  work  as  the  only  means,  they 
call  upon  their  Philippine  sons,  without  distinction  of 
class,  to  unite  firmly  together  for  the  purpose  of  forming 
a  society  of  nobility,  not  nobility  of  birth  or  pompous 
titles,  but  of  work  and  personal  merit  of  each  one — a  free 
society  where  there  shall  be  no  egotism  and  personal 
politics  that  crush  and  annihilate,  no  envy  and  favoritism 
that  debase,  no  bragging  and  charlatanry  that  make  ri- 
diculous. 

''And  it  could  not  be  otherwise;  a  people  which  has 
given  proofs  of  valor  and  long  suffering  in  time  of 
trouble  and  danger,  and  of  industry  and  diligence  in  time 
of  peace,  is  not  intended  for  slavery;  such  a  people  is 
called  to  be  great,  to  be  one  of  the  strongest  arms  of 
Providence  to  direct  the  destinies  of  humanity;  such  a 
people  has  sufficient  resources  and  energy  to  free  itself 
from  the  ruin  and  annihilation  into  which  the  Spanish 
Government  has  plunged  it,  and  to  claim  a  modest,  but 
humble  seat  in  the  concert  of  free  nations. 

''Emilio  Aguinaldo. 

"Given  at  Cavite,  June  23,  1898." 

AGUINALDO'S  PROCLAMATION  OF  JUNE  23,  ESTAB- 
LISHING THE  REVOLUTIONARY  GOVERNMENT. 

"Don  Emilio  Aguinaldo  y  Famy,  president  of  the  revo- 
lutionary government  of  the  Philippines  and  general-in- 
chief  of  its  army. 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  REPORT.  217 

'This  government  desiring  to  demonstrate  to  the  Phil- 
ippine people  that  one  of  its  ends  is  to  combat  with  a 
firm  hand  the  inveterate  vices  of  the  Spanish  administra- 
tion, substituting  for  personal  luxury  and  that  pompous 
ostentation  which  have  made  it  a  mere  matter  of  rou- 
tine, cumbrous  and  slow  in  its  movements,  another  ad- 
ministration more  modest,  simple,  and  prompt  in  per- 
forming the  public  service,  I  decree  as  follows : 

''Chapter  i. — Of  the  Revolutionary  Government. 

Article  i. — The  dictatorial  government  will  be  entitled 
hereafter  the  revolutionary  government,  whose  object  is 
to  struggle  for  the  independence  of  the  Philippines,  until 
all  nations,  including  the  Spanish,  shall  expressly  recog- 
nize it,  and  to  prepare  the  country  so  that  a  true  republic 
may  be  established. 

'The  dictator  shall  be  entitled  hereafter  president  of 
the  revolutionary  government." 

On  June  27  Admiral  Dewey  telegraphed  to  Washing- 
ton as  follows: 

"Aguinaldo,  insurgent  leader,  with  thirteen  of  his 
staff,  arrived  May  19,  by  permission,  on  Nanshan.  Es- 
tablished self  Cavite,  outside  arsenal,  under  the  protec- 
tion of  our  guns,  and  organized  his  army.  I  have  had 
several  conversations  with  him,  generally  of  a  personal 
nature.  Consistently  I  have  refrained  from  assisting  him 
in  any  way  with  the  force  under  my  command,  and  on 
several  occasions  I  have  declined  requests  that  I  should 
do  so,  telling  him  the  squadron  could  not  act  until  the 
arrival  of  the  United  States  troops.  At  the  same  time 
I  have  given  him  to  understand  that  I  consider  insur- 
gents as  friends,  being  opposed  to  a  common  enemy.  He 
has  gone  to  attend  a  meeting  of  insurgent  leaders  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  a  civil  government.  Aguinaldo  has 
acted  independently  of  the  squadron,  but  has  kept  me 
advised  of  his  progress,  which  has  been  wonderful.  I 
have  allowed  to  pass  by  water  recruits,  arms  and  ammu- 
nition, and  to  take  such  Spanish  arms  and  ammunition 
from  the  arsenal  as  he  needed.  Have  advised  frequently 
to  conduct  the  war  humanely,  which  he  has  done  in- 
variably.    My  relations  with  him  are  cordial,  but  I  am 


2i8       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

not  in  his  confidence.  The  United  States  has  not  been 
bound  in  any  way  to  assist  insurgents  by  any  act  or 
promises,  and  he  is  not,  to  my  knowledge,  committed  to 
assist  us.  I  beUeve  he  expects  to  capture  Manila  without 
my  assistance,  but  doubt  ability,  they  not  yet  having 
many  guns.  In  my  opinion  these  people  are  far  superior 
in  their  intelligence  and  more  capable  of  self-govern- 
ment than  the  natives  of  Cuba,  and  I  am  familiar  with 
both  races." 

From  this  message  of  Admiral  Dewey's  it  seems  that 
Aguinaldo  came  back  to  Cavite  by  his  permission,  and 
established  himself  under  our  guns,  and  organized  his 
army,  and  went  to  form  a  civil  government,  with  his 
knowledge  if  not  his  consent,  certainly  with  his  acquies- 
cence, if  not  approval,  as  appears  from  the  facts  in  the 
case. 

Admiral  Dewey  admits  conferences  with  and  frequent- 
ly advising  Aguinaldo;  also  allowing  arms,  ammunition 
and  recruits  to  pass  by  water,  and  permitting  him  to 
take  arms  and  ammunition  from  the  arsenal,  captured 
from  the  Spaniards,  and  of  no  use  to  us,  and  acknowl- 
edges that  his  progress  "has  been  wonderful,"  and  that 
he  has  conducted  the  war  humanely,  ''invariably,"  in 
accordance  with  his  advice,  and  closes  by  commending 
the  Filipinos  as  capable  of  that  self-government  just 
instituted. 

And  yet,  strange  to  state,  in  answer  to  the  assertions 
of  Mr.  Bray,  who  acted  as  interpreter  for  Consul-Gen- 
eral  Pratt  and  Aguinaldo,  after  introducing  them  at 
Singapore,  who  states  that  independence  was  then  prom- 
ised the  Filipinos  in  accordance  with  Admiral  Dewey's 
directions,  he  now  says:  "I  never  had  any  dealings  with 
Emilio  Aguinaldo." 


WONDERFUL  VICTORIES.  219 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  FILIPINOS'  VALIANT  AND  VICTORIOUS  FIGHT 
FOR  FREEDOM. 

Over  a  year  after  the  events  which  followed  the  ar- 
rival of  Aguinaldo  with  wonderful  rapidity,  Mr.  John  T. 
McCutcheon  wrote  for  the  Chicago  Record  of  June  24, 
1899,  the  following  beautiful  tribute  to  Filipino  patriot- 
ism and  valor,  in  a  reminiscent  mood,  which  it  might  be 
well  for  some  self-styled  "patriotic"  Americans  to  peruse 
thoughtfully : 

''Special  Correspondence  of  the  Chicago  Record. 

''Manila,  June  24. — About  June  i,  1898,  only  a  week 
after  Aguinaldo  had  begun  the  reorganization  of  his  rag- 
ged, poorly  armed  troops,  the  sound  of  firing  came  float- 
ing out  from  the  land  near  Bacoor  to  where  the  Ameri- 
can warships  were  anchored  off  Cavite.  Throughout  the 
entire  afternoon  the  long,  steady  roll  of  volley  firing  was 
sustained  almost  continuously,  with  frequent  punctua- 
tions from  heavy  guns.  The  low  fringe  of  trees  lining 
the  shore  concealed  the  battle  from  the  view  of  those  on 
the  ships,  but  we  could  see  the  white  smoke  of  the  can- 
nons and  rifles  filtering  up  through  the  tree  tops  and 
hanging  over  the  battlefield  like  a  great  curtain.  From 
the  terrific  volley  firing  and  the  long  duration  of  the  en- 
gagement we  judged  that  a  battle  on  a  grand  scale  was 
being  fought,  and  I  remember  that  we  felt  blue  and 
gloomy  because  we  were  convinced  that  our  friends,  the 
insurgents,  must  be  suffering  fearfully  before  the  superi- 
or arms  and  forces  of  Spain.  In  the  evening,  after  the 
fighting  had  been  raging  for  hours,  there  came  a  cessa- 
tion, and  when  darkness  fell  the  region  of  the  conflict 
was  silent  and  peaceful. 

"The  following  day  we  called  on  Aguinaldo  at  his  head- 
quarters in  Cavite.  There  was  nothing  in  his  manner  to 
indicate  that  his  troops  had  suffered  an  overwhelming 
reverse.  He  greeted  us  with  the  emotionless  courtesy  so 
characteristic  of  him  and  calmly  informed  us  through 
his  aid-de-camp,  Mr.  Leyba,  that  his  soldiers  had  de- 


220       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

feated  the  Spaniards  and  had  captured  the  bridge  over 
the  Zapote  river.  He  had  not  yet  received  full  reports, 
but  he  had  heard  unofficially  that  his  army  had  suffered 
a  very  sHght  loss,  while  the  Spaniards  had  suffered  heav- 
ily. This  news  was  almost  incredible  to  those  of  us  who 
had  seen  what  an  undisciplined,  motley  crowd  of  natives 
composed  what  he  called  his  army  and  we  were  inclined 
to  doubt  his  claim  to  victory.  Nevertheless  we  felt  a  re- 
lief and  pleasure  in  hearing  that  our  friends  had  beaten 
our  enemies,  the  Spaniards. 

''All  during  the  week  following  there  was  constant  evi- 
dence of  the  strife  that  was  being  waged  between  Cavite 
and  Malate.  Aguinaldo  never  appeared  to  have  full  re- 
ports, but  he  invariably  proclaimed  the  victory  of  his  own 
forces.  Imus,  Bacoor,  Las  Pinas,  Paranaque,  were  cap- 
tured in  less  than  a  week,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
the  Spaniards  had  splendid  arms  and  ammunition  in  un- 
limited quantities,  supported  by  five  mountain  batter- 
ies and  rapid-fire  guns.  Cavite  Viejo  was  still  held  by  a 
Spanish  garrison,  but  the  insurgents  quickly  closed  in  on 
the  town,  and  the  Spaniards,  278  in  number,  were  com- 
pelled to  take  refuge  in  the  Church  of  the  Madeleine. 
This  building  was  fortified  with  breastworks  of  stone,  the 
windows  and  doors  were  blocked  with  immense  masses 
of  rock  and  earth  and  the  Spaniards  prepared  for  a  siege. 
About  200  insurgents  under  command  of  Aguinaldo's 
aid,  Leyba,  drew  in  close  to  the  church,  and  whenever 
a  Spaniard  showed  his  head  they  fired  a  volley  at  him. 
Over  on  the  walls  of  Cavite  the  insurgents  were  oper- 
ating an  ancient  cannon  that  was  mounted  on  the  south- 
west bastion.  Shells  were  thrown  across  Bacoor  bay, 
and,  while  many  of  them  fell  short,  at  least  two  struck 
the  old  church.  The  siege  was  a  memorable  one,  al- 
though it  lasted  only  eight  days.  Three  Spaniards  were 
killed,  and  had  to  be  buried  just  outside  the  church  door 
and  within  the  improvised  stone  barricade.  Their  drink- 
ing water  became  exhausted,  and  they  had  to  dig  a  well 
in  the  interior  of  the  building,  which  afforded  them  a 
brackish,  half-salty  relief  from  thirst.  From  the  begin- 
ning there  was  no  hope  for  the  Spaniards.  If  they  at- 
tempted to  escape  by  sea  the  Americans  would  snap 


SPANIARDS  SURRENDER  TO  FILIPINOS.       221 

them  up.  If  they  stayed  in  the  church  they  would  starve, 
for  even  then  they  were  eating  the  last  caribao  that  had 
been  taken  in  the  building  with  them  at  the  beginning 
of  the  siege.  To  fight  their  way  to  Manila  along  the 
beach  would  have  meant  their  extermination,  so  on  June 
7  they  surrendered,  arms  and  all. 

"I  went  over  to  see  the  surrender,  and  it  was  an  incon- 
gruous spectacle  to  see  nearly  300  well-uniformed  but 
unkempt  white  men  march  out  of  the  church  between 
the  bobtail  and  ragtag  ranks  of  natives  Hned  up  in  the 
street  in  front  of  the  church. 

''Among  the  Spaniards  were  many  handsome  officers 
wearing  handsome  uniforms,  and  their  humiliation  must 
have  been  as  bitter  as  a  proud  Castilian  could  possibly 
suffer. 

"Over  in  Cavite  the  calm,  passionless  statements  of 
great  victories  that  Aguinaldo  gave  us  were  being  sub- 
stantiated every  day,  for  hundreds  and  hundreds  of 
Spanish  soldiers  were  being  marched  in  and  placed  in 
prison.  Big,  splendid-looking  Spanish  generals  and 
governors  were  tramped  in  over  the  San  Roque  cause- 
way by  the  fattered,  undisciplined  ununiformed  bands 
of  insurgents.  The  incongruity  of  the  thing  was  as  pa- 
thetic as  it  was  incredible. 

"Closely  following  the  remarkable  insurgent  successes 
in  Cavite  Province,  where  the  whole  district  had  been 
captured  in  eight  days,  came  stories  of  other  successful 
operations  in  Pampanga  Province.  Macabebe  and  San 
Fernando  were  captured,  and  the  great  Spanish  general, 
Monet,  fled  in  terror  to  Manila.  Over  1,000  Spanish  sol- 
diers had  been  taken  prisoners  and  their  arms  given  out 
to  natives  as  quickly  as  possible.  The  insurgents  were 
busy  everywhere.  The  Spanish  gunboat  Leyte,  which 
had  filed  from  Subig  bay  on  April  29,  and  had  taken  ref- 
uge in  the  Pampanga  river,  tried  to  escape  to  Manila  with 
185  Spaniards  on  board  and  with  three  cascoes  of  Spanish 
soldiers  in  tow. 

"The  cascoes  went  aground  and  the  Leyte  was  captured 
by  the  Americans  before  reaching  Manila. 

"Our  respect  for  the  insurgents'  prowess  had  grown  a 
great  deal,  for  by  June  30  they  had  taken  almost  every 


222       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

province  in  Luzon,  with  the  exception  of  isolated  garri- 
sons, and  were  hammering  away  at  the  doors  of  Manila. 
We  felt  considerable  pride  in  their  conquests,  for  natur- 
ally our  sympathies  at  that  time  were  with  them  as 
against  the  Spaniards.  We  didn't  foresee  at  the  time 
when  we  listened  gloomily  to  the  sounds  of  battle  at  Za- 
pote  bridge  that  in  a  year  our  own  forces  would  be  try- 
ing to  capture  the  bridge  themselves,  or  that  the  flower 
of  our  army  would  be  pitted  against  the  tattered  ranks 
of  our  friend  Aguinaldo.  Or  that  we,  like  Aguinaldo, 
would  be  telling  the  same  tales  of  great  victories  in 
which  our  losses  were  slight  and  those  of  our  enemy 
enormous. 

"We  didn't  imagine  that  it  would  take  us  months  to 
accomplish  what  the  ragged  hordes  of  natives  had  done 
in  less  than  four  weeks,  or  that  Aguinaldo,  who  amused 
us,  would  be  keeping  the  best  we  breed  exceedingly 
busy  in  less  than  a  year's  time. 

'The  whole  situation  is  strange,  and  it  struck  me  very 
forcibly  when  I  waited  the  morning  of  June  13,  1898,  for 
the  storming  of  the  Zapote  bridge  by  our  own  troops  to 
begin,  while  my  former  friend,  General  Noriel,  was 
massing  his  forces  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  to 
prevent,  if  possible,  the  fall  of  the  strongest  position  in 
Cavite  Province." 

In  a  letter  dated  Manila,  April  12,  1900,  to  be  found  in 
the  Chicago  Record  of  August  31, 1900,  Mr.McCutcheon 
quotes  Admiral  Dewey  as  saying  to  him  personally  at 
this  time  in  June,  1898,  in  speaking  of  the  insurgents 
fighting  then:  'They're  saving  us  lots  of  American  sol- 
diers in  clearing  out  that  country  over  there."  And  they 
did  it  at  his  request,  yet  he  says  they  were  not  our  allies. 

So  it  was  that  the  friars  fell  into  the  hands  of  their 
infuriated  but  forbearing  victims,  from  whom  they  found 
it  impossible  to  escape,  until  the  Treaty  of  Peace  drawn 
up  at  Paris  interposed. 

Then  "Protestant"  America  promptly  did  what  "Cath- 
olic" Spain  had  failed  or  refused  to  do,  sending  an  Amer- 


A   PITIFUL  APPEAL.  2.22^ 

ican  army  to  the  Philippines  to  crush  the  native  FiHpino 
Catholics  and  let  loose  the  Spanish  friars  upon  their 
former  outraged  victims,  in  accordance  with  the  Spanish 
treaty.  Should  any  one  suspect  this  to  be  a  Protestant 
treatise  we  would  state  that  it  is  written  to  protest 
against  American  Protestant,  as  well  as  Spanish  friar  out- 
rages. To  illustrate,  from  the  Minneapolis  Times  of 
June  17,  1899,  quoting  from  a  letter  by  Martin  E.  Tew, 
of  the  Thirteenth  Minnesota  Volunteers,  written  in  Lu- 
zon, we  give  this  scene  in  a  deserted  Philippine  city: 

''Every  inhabitant  had  left  Norzagaray,  and  no  article 
of  value  remained  behind.  The  place  had  probably  been 
the  home  of  1,500  or  2,000  people,  and  was  pleasantly 
situated  on  a  clear  mountain  stream  in  which  a  bath  was 
most  refreshing.  It  was  not  a  city  of  apparent  wealth, 
but  in  many  houses  were  found  evidences  of  education. 
In  a  building  which  probably  had  been  used  as  a  school- 
house  were  found  a  number  of  books,  and  a  variety  of 
exercises  written  by  childish  hands.  Pinned  to  a  cruci- 
fix was  a  paper  upon  which  was  written  the  following 
in  Spanish: 

'*  'American  Soldiers:  How  can  you  hope  mercy  from 
Him  when  you  are  slaughtering  a  people  fighting  for 
their  liberty,  and  driving  us  from  the  homes  which  are 
justly  ours?' 

"On  a  table  was  a  large  globe,  which  did  not  give 
Minneapolis,  but  had  San  Pablo  (St.  Paul)  as  the  capital 
of  Minnesota.  On  a  rude  blackboard  were  a  number  of 
sentences,  which  indicated  that  the  teacher  had  recently 
been  giving  lessons  in  the  history  of  the  American  rev- 
olution." 


224       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE   CAUSES  OF  THE  CONFLICT. 

Upon  page  595  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2,  of 
the  Records  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Congress,  is  the  following 
statement  of  fact  which  was  presented  to  the  Paris  Peace 
Commission  as  evidence,  having  appeared  in  an  article 
in  the  Fortnightly  Review  of  July,  1898,  written  by  Lucy 
M.  J.  Garnett: 

*'Both  the  great  island  possessions  in  the  West  and 
East  Indies  respectively,  which  are  now  the  seats  of  war 
between  Spain  and  the  United  States,  were,  for  a  time 
during  last  century,  possessions  of  the  British  empire. 
Havana  and  Manila  were  both  captured  by  Great  Britain 
in  1762,  and  Cuba  and  the  Philippines  occupied.  A  very 
rare  and  interesting  plain  narrative  of  the  capture  of 
Manila  was  published  by  Rear  Admiral  Cornish  and 
Brigadier-General  Draper  in  reply  to  accusations  of  in- 
fringement of  the  capitulations  made  against  these  offi- 
cers by  Spaniards.  Their  own  allegations  are  sufficiently 
strong: 

'Through  the  whole  of  the  above  transactions  the 
Spaniards,  by  evasions,  avoided  complying  with  the  ca- 
pitulations in  every  one  respect  except  in  bringing  the 
money  from  the  Misericordia  and  Ardentacora  (ships), 
which  it  was  out  of  their  power  to  secrete.  They  base- 
fully  and  ungratefully  took  up  arms  against  us  after  hav- 
ing their  lives  given  them.  They  preached  publicly  in 
their  churches  rebellion,  etc.  At  the  peace  of  Paris, 
however  (1763),  which  concluded  the  seven  years'  war, 
Canada,  Louisiana,  and  various  islands  in  the  West  In- 
dies having  been  ceded  by  France,  and  Florida  and 
Minorca  by  Spain,  Great  Britain  on  her  part  ceded  to  the 
latter  power  Cuba  and  the  Philippines. 

*'Yet  there  is  still  to  be  seen — or  was  during  my  resi- 
dence at  Manila — at  the  mouth  of  the  Fasig,  and  under 
the  ramparts,  a  dilapidated  brick  and  stucco  monument 
with  an  inscription  celebrating  the  expulsion  of  the  invad- 
ing British  by  the  noble  and  patriotic  Don  Simon  de  An- 


THE  CAUSES  OF  THE  CONFLICT.  22$ 

da,  an  inscription  which  afforded  great  amusement  to 
British  naval  officers  visiting  this  port." 

It  is  also  an  item  of  interest  in  this  connection,  which 
appears  in  certain  accounts  of  those  occurrences,  that  the 
Spaniards  promised  to  pay  $5,000,000  as  ransom  money 
upon  the  recession  of  Manila,  but  that  amount  still  re- 
mains unpaid. 

Upon  pages  602  and  603  of  Senate  Document  No.  62, 
part  2,  of  the  Records  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Congress,  this 
evidence  continues:  "The  Philippines  being,  according 
to  the  plain  narrative,  'maintained  by  the  crown  of  Spain 
at  the  request  of  the  church  for  propagating  the  Chris- 
tian faith  among  the  Indians,'  the  influence  of  the  church 
has  naturally  here  been  always  paramount.  An  arch- 
bishop at  Manila,  with  various  bishops  in  the  provinces, 
constitute  the  hierarchy,  and  the  spiritual  needs  of  the 
people  are  administered  to  by  a  vast  body  of  friars  of 
all  orders,  and  secular  clergy,  both  European  and  native. 
The  Jesuits  also  occupied  numerous  important  posts  in 
the  archipelago  previous  to  their  expulsion  from  Spain 
in  1767,  and  are  now  again  re-established  in  many  parts, 
and  particularly  in  Mindanao." 

In  this  connection,  we  introduce  the  testimony  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  bishop  of  Oviedo,  Spain,  as  to  the  orig- 
inal cause  of  the  trouble  between  native  Filipino  Cath- 
olics and  foreign  Spanish  friars,  believing  it  may  awaken 
honest  sympathy  among,  American,  if  not  all  Catholics, 
for  their  Filipino  fellow  Catholics,  in  their  struggle  for 
the  recognition  of  their  civil  and  religious  rights.  We 
quote  his  statement  as  found  in  Vol.  21,  upon  pages  518 
and  519,  of  the  Missionary  Review,  of  July,  1898: 

"It  would  be  difficult  just  now  to  point  out  the  cause  of 
the  separatists'  uprising  in  the  Philippines,  and  still  more 
to  indicate  the  remedy.    It  was  the  idea  that  there  once 


226       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

was,  of  granting  the  colonization  of  Mindanao  to  a  for- 
eign syndicate  that  led  the  Jesuit  fathers  to  occupy  that 
island.  On  coming  they  were  offered  the  parishes, 
which  had  been  founded  and  administered  by  the  Fran- 
ciscans, and  the  latter  in  compensation  received  some  liv- 
ings in  the  archbishopric  of  Manila,  which  had  been  in 
the  possession  of  native  clergy  ever  since  the  extinction 
of  the  Jesuit  order  in  the  last  century.  The  colonization 
of  Mindanao  did  not  take  place,  as  it  was  not  right  it 
should  either.  Then  the  transfer  of  the  beneficies  in 
question  has  been  effected,  and  is  being  effected  very 
slowly.  And  it  is  in  this  wise  that  from  the  sore  that  was 
opened  then  has  been  flowing  blood  for  the  last  thirty- 
six  years." 

In  short,  according  to  the  authority  of  this  Roman 
Catholic  Spanish  bishop,  himself  naturally  in  sympathy 
with  his  own  church,  countrymen  and  government,  it 
was  the  wresting  of  the  parishes  which  had  been  in  the 
possession  of  native  Filipino  priests  since  the  last  cen- 
tury from  them,  and  turning  them  over  to  Spanish  priests 
of  the  religious  orders  which  has  caused  the  rupture  be- 
tween the  native  priests  and  people  and  foreign  friars 
in  the  Philippines,  resulting  in  the  revolution  which  has 
swept  the  Spanish  power  from  the  islands. 

But  turning  back  to  page  603  of  Document  No.  62, 
we  find  the  following:  *The  great  majority  of  cures 
are  served  by  Spanish  friars,  who,  after  their  arrival  in 
the  country,  remain  for  some  years  in  the  monasteries  in 
order  to  complete  their  studies,  and  in  particular  to  learn 
the  special  dialect  of  the  district  for  which  they  are  de- 
signed. Spanish  secular  priests  also  occupy  some  of  the 
canonries  in  Manila  and  the  interior,  and  a  certain  num- 
ber of  native  priests,  educated  in  the  seminaries  of  the 
orders,  fill  the  less  important  curacies. 

"The  progressive  party  in  the  islands  are  opposed  to 
this  predominance  of  the  monastic  orders,  who,  as  a 


THE  CAUSES  OF  THE  CONFLICT.  22y 

body,  prefer  the  interests  of  the  government  to  those 
of  their  parishioners,  and  demand  their  retirement  to  their 
monasteries,  or  to  mission  work,  leaving  the  parish 
churches  to  be  served  by  the  secular  Spanish  and  native 
clergy.  The  authorities  are  naturally  opposed  to  such 
a  change,  as  they  have  always  found  the  co-operation  of 
the  friars  essential  in  securing  obedience  to  enactments 
afifecting  their  flocks." 

"During  the  British  occupation  of  Manila  in  1762,  'the 
priests  and  friars  publicly  exhorted  rebellion,  and 
preached  it  meritorious  to  take  up  arms  and  destroy  us.' 
At  the  beginning  of  the  campaign  against  the  Moham- 
medan Sultan  of  Sulu  in  1876,  when  it  was  found  nec- 
essary to  increase  the  native  army,  recourse  was  had  to 
the  eloquence  of  the  friars  in  order  to  obtain  willing  and 
enthusiastic  recruits.  And  there  can  not  be  the  slightest 
doubt  that  at  the  present  moment  a  crusade  is  being 
strenuously  preached  against  the  invading 'infidels,'  'state- 
ments calculated  to  excite  the  fiercest  and  most  fanatical 
hatred  being  unscrupulously  made  from  the  pulpit  to  the 
ignorant  masses.' 

Then  follow  these  forceful  words,  prompted  by  no 
Protestant  partizanship  evidently: 

"Roman  Catholicism  is  undoubtedly  the  form  of  Chris- 
tianity best  calculated  to  impress  native  races."  Showing 
very  evident  sympathy  for  that  faith. 

It  seems  that  Admiral  Dewey  discovered  this  same 
danger  and  difficulty  in  1898,  according  to  various  au- 
thentic accounts.  The  St.  Louis  Globe-Democrat  of 
June  2,  1898,  published  the  following: 

"Washington,  D.  C,  June  i,  1898. — An  official  with 
Admiral  Dewey  writes  a  friend  in  the  navy  department 
that  the  admiral  astonished  a  high  church  official  out 
there  at  Manila  very  much  recently. 

'The  Bishop  (Archbishop)  of  Manila,'  so  the  letter 
runs,  'had  been  circulating  pastorals,  urging  his  people 
to  rise  up  and  kill  'los  hereticos'  (the  heathen  Americans), 
who  would  not  permit  the  sacraments  of  matrimony  or 


228       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  last  rites  for  the  dying  to  be  administered.  Dewey 
waited  until  he  could  fix  some  of  these  stories  definitely 
upon  the  reverend  Ananias,  and  then  wrote  him  a  note, 
in  which  the  admiral  expressed  his  astonishment  that 
an  archbishop  could  so  far  forget  and  debase  his  holy 
office  as  to  be  guilty  of  lying,  and  lying  so  basely.  If 
he  heard  any  more  of  these  falsehoods  from  his  rever- 
ence or  any  of  the  minor  clergy,  he,  Dewey,  would  turn 
his  guns  loose  upon  the  archbishop's  palace  at  Cavite  and 
the  Cathedral  at  Manila,  and  level  both  to  the  ground. 
'False  teachers  shall  not  disgrace  the  holy  name  they 
pretend  to  reverence  by  uttering  the  most  absolute  false- 
hoods in  the  name  of  God.' 

"A  French  priest,  who  has  a  brother  that  is  a  chaplain 
in  the  U.  S.  navy,  undertook  to  carry  the  note  to  the 
archbishop.  In  three  days  there  came  back  a  most  ab- 
ject apology  to  the  American  commandant,  in  which  the 
holy  man  denied  that  he  had  ever  said  or  thought  the 
wicked  things  imputed  to  him.  In  reply,  Dewey  simply 
sent  the  archbishop  his  own  pastoral  letter  that  he  had 
somehow  obtained  that  contained  the  very  words  and  ex- 
pressions the  other  had  sworn  he  never  thought  of,  much 
less  used.  This  ended  the  correspondence.  But  the 
archbishop  was  snuffed  out  like  a  tallow  dip,  with  a  sizz 
and  a  very  bad  smell." 

He  seems  to  have  been  sizzling  ever  since  and  is  stiH 
about  as  odoriferous  as  ever,  if  not  a  little  more  so  at 
this  late  date. 

As  the  writer  was  anxious  to  obtain  an  original  copy  of 
this  pastoral,  he  wrote  to  Lieutenant  J.  W.  Crawford,  of 
the  United  States  navy,  acting  as  secretary  to  Admiral 
Dewey,  requesting  him  to  let  him  know  if  this  story  was 
true  and  where  he  could  get  a  copy  of  the  pastoral. 

The  following  reply  came  promptly: 

"I  know  nothing  personally  of  this  matter,  but  have 


THE  CAUSES  OF  THE  CONFLICT.  229 

spoken  of  it  to  the  admiral,  who  says  there  is  not  a  bit  of 
truth  in  the  newspaper  story,  a  copy  of  which  you  sent. 

"J.  W.  Crawford, 

''Lieutenant  U.  S.  Navy,  Secretary  to  the  Admiral. 

"July  27,  1900." 

As  we  wish  to  be  perfectly  fair  in  this  matter,  we  pre- 
sent the  admiral's  reply  along  with  the  facts  in  the  case 
as  we  find  them,  believing  our  readers  will  be  able  to 
form  a  fair  opinion  from  both  of  these  presentations  of 
the  true  inwardness  of  this  situation. 
.  On  May  18,  1898,  the  following  Associated  Press  dis- 
patch appeared  in  the  leading  dailies  of  the  United 
States: 

"The  Archbishop  of  Manila,  in  a  pastoral  issued  on  the 
8th  instant,  said:  'Christians,  defend  your  faith  against 
heretics,  who  raise  an  insuperable  barrier  to  immortal 
souls,  enslave  the  people,  abolish  crosses  from  ceme- 
teries, forbid  pastors  to  perform  baptism,  matrimony  or 
funeral  rites,  or  to  administer  consolation  or  grant  abso- 
lution.' "  lie  denounced  both  Americans  and  British  as 
heretical  scum,  thieves,  assassins  and  violators  of  women 
in  this  connection,  and  a  London  dispatch,  dated  June  18, 
1898,  stated:  "The  Hongkong  correspondent  of  the 
Daily  Mail  says:  The  Archbishop  of  Manila,  Mgr.  No- 
zaleda,  announces  that  he  has  had  a  communication  from 
God,  who  has  promised  him  that  the  "Yankee  Pigs"  will 
be  driven  out  of  the  island,  and  that  "Spain  will  be  trium- 
phant in  the  end." 

On  page  347  of  Senate  Document  No.  62  is  the  follow- 
ing quotation  from  the  Singapore  Free  Press  of  June  i, 
1898:  "The  Archbishop  has  assured  the  people  that  four 
Spanish  battleships  are  on  their  way  out,  and  that  God 
has  informed  him  that  in  the  next  engagement  the  armies 
of  the  most  Christian  Spain  will  be  victorious." 

The  following  special  press  dispatch  is  interesting: 
"Vancouver,  B.  C,  June  8. — According  to  advices  re- 


230       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

ceived  here  by  steamer  to-day,  on  the  day  before  the  bat- 
tle at  Manila  the  inhabitants  evidently  expected  it.  A 
procession  visited  the  governor-general's  residence,  car- 
rying Spanish  flags,  and  presented  addresses  offering 
their  lives  and  all  they  possessed  for  the  service  of  Spain. 
The  governor-general  made  a  long  speech  in  reply,  in 
which  he  said: 

"  'I  cannot,  senors,  help  weeping  at  the  situation  in 
which  our  poor  and  "beloved  Spain  finds  herself.  You 
know,  from  the  proclamations  that  have  been  addressed 
to  the  country  that  a  nation  with  iniquitous  proceeding, 
outraging  all  international  law,  using  evil  devices  and 
felonious,  taking  advantage  of  our  misfortunes,  and  ex- 
hausting the  patience  of  all  Spaniards  with  its  perfidious 
machinations,  has  provoked  us  to  war.  Spain  will  show 
the  world  that  she  enters  upon  the  fight  to  conquer  or 
die.  No  Spaniard  born  will  ever  consent  to  see  the  per- 
nicious and  iniquitous  American  desecrating  with  his 
footsteps  this  beautiful  land.  The  hour  to  fight  has  ar- 
rived. To  arms  each,  to  post,  trusting  that  the  God  of 
victories  will  concede  one  more  victory  to  the  cry  of 
"VivaEspano!"' 

"The  Catholic  Archbishop  then  arose  and  said: 
"  The  North  Americans  are  heretics  and  know  not 
God,  accepting  every  kind  of  religion  and  false  doctrine. 
They  think  to  violate  our  religion  and  our  laws.  If  you 
trust  in  God  and  the  Virgin  of  the  Rosary,  this  will 
never  be.' " 

Mr.  Oscar  King  Davis  gives  us  a  glimpse  into  the 
Spanish  defenses  at  this  time  by  an  article  in  McClure's 
Magazine  for  June,  1899,  in  which  he  used  original  notes 
made  by  Mr.  Andre,  the  Belgian  consul  at  Manila,  who 
managed  the  negotiations  which  terminated  in  the  sur- 
render of  the  city  to  the  American  forces  on  the  condi- 
tion that  the  Filipinos  should  be  prevented  from  enter- 
ing. He  states  that  "on  June  8  (1898)  Mr.  Andre  went 
out  to  visit  the  Spanish  trenches  to  the  south  and  east 
of  Manila.     In  command  of  the  Palo  Bridge  he  found 


THE  BETRAYAL  OF  OUR  ALLIES.  231 

Captain  Don  Juan  de  la  Concha,  who  had  been  in  com- 
mand of  the  cruiser  'Don  Juan  de  Austria,'  on  the  1st  of 
May,  and  had  taken  his  sailor  men  into  the  trenches  to 
help  keep  the  insurgents  out.  Andre  stopped  to  talk 
with  Captain  Concha,  and  General  Jaudenes,  who  was 
then  second  in  command,  came  up.  Captain  Concha 
was  in  a  bad  temper.  Some  of  his  men  had  been  killed, 
and  he  didn't  like  it.  He  said  he  was  unwilling  to  lose 
Spanish  lives  in  fighting  for  the  monks,  and  went  on  to 
rail  against  the  friars,  and  to  say  that  the  country  was 
priest-ridden.  Jaudenes  agreed  with  him.  Andre  said 
he  was  going  to  see  Augustin,  the  captain-general,  and 
asked  leave  to  use  the  names  of  Jaudenes  and  Concha. 
Both  agreed.  That  night  Andre  called  upon  Augustin 
and  found  the  archbishop  there.  Nevertheless,  he  spoke 
plainly  to  the  captain-general,  and  told  him  how  Jaudenes 
and  Concha  felt.  Augustin  listened  closely  to  all  Andre 
had  to  say.  He  made  little  comment,  but  gave  Andre 
the  impression  that  he  agreed  with  the  two  command- 
ers." 


CHAPTER   XXXHI. 
THE  BETRAYAL  OF  OUR  ALLIES. 

After  this  conversation  Mr.  Andre  approached  Ad- 
miral Dewey  and  General  Merritt,  as  Belgian  consul,  act- 
ing as  an  intermediary  between  the  American  and  Span- 
ish commanders  with  the  hope  of  avoiding  a  conflict  and 
consequent  bombardment  of  Manila  and  especially  to 
prevent  its  capture  by  the  Filipinos. 

He  informed  the  American  commander  that  "it  was 
quite  unnecessary  to  attack  Manila;  that  the  surrender 
could  be  arranged ;  that  if  the  general  undertook  to  take 


232       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  city  by  any  other  means  he  would  only  have  a  good 
many  men  killed  uselessly. 

Andre  then  asked  General  Merritt  what  his  relations 
would  be  with  the  insurgents.  General  Merritt  replied 
that  he  had  come  with  orders  not  to  treat  with  the  In- 
dians; not  to  recognize  them,  and  not  to  promise  any- 
thing to  them. 

"Aguinaldo  is  just  the  same  to  me,'*  he  said,  "as  any 
boy  in  the  street."  Dewey  said  again  that  if  the  city 
would  surrender,  he  would  do  everything  to  keep  the 
insurgents  out,"  and  "according  to  the  arrangement  the 
signal  had  been  set  on  the  'Olympia'  (demanding  the 
surrender)  and  the  white  flag  had  flown  above  the  city," 
which  was  the  sign  of  surrender  agreed  upon. 

Thereupon  in  accordance  with  prearranged  plans,  fir- 
ing ceased,  and  the  Spaniards  withdrew  from  their  de- 
fences, having  promised  to  do  so  as  the  Americans  ad- 
vanced, provided  the  Americans  would  conspire  with 
them,  "the  common  enemy,"  to  prevent  their  allies,  the 
Filipinos,  from  entering  the  city,  which  they  endeavored 
to  do,  but  the  Filipinos,  being  faithful  to  the  finish,  had 
to  be  forced  out  after  the  battle,  and  their  betrayal  by 
their  pretended  friends  and  allies  to  their  mortal  foes, 
"the  common  enemy,"  was  one  of  the  most  damnable 
deeds  ever  done  by  "diplomacy." 

To  show  how  faithfully  the  Filipinos  fought  with  and 
for  us  we  will  quote  a  few  words  of  General  Merritt, 
written  for  the  Youth's  Companion:  "The  insurgents 
were  unable  to  restrain  their  impatience  and  kept  up  a 
general  fusillade  along  their  lines  for  hours  before  it  was 
intended  that  the  operations  should  begin." 

The  following  is  quoted  in  confirmation  of  the  state- 
ment of  fact  that  the  Filipinos  were  betrayed  by  the 
American  commanders  with  whom  they  kept  perfect 
faith: 


THE  BETRAYAL  OF  OUR  ALLIES.  2^,2, 

(Copyright,  1899,  by  The  Chicago  Record.) 

"Nice,  Aug.  23  (1899). — Admiral  Dewey  received  to- 
day a  visit  from  Edouard  Andre,  the  Belgian  consul  at 
Manila  who  negotiated  the  surrender  of  the  Spanish  gar- 
rison nearly  four  weeks  before  the  American  force  took 
actual  possession.  M.  Andre  informed  Admiral  Dewey 
on  July  15  that  the  Spaniards  would  surrender  without  a 
fight  after  their  works  had  been  shelled  by  the  fleet  long 
enough  to  save  their  honor.  The  admiral  authorized  him 
to  assure  the  Spaniards  that  the  fleet  would  so  act  as  to 
spare  life,  but  would  give  them  a  good  excuse  for  sur- 
rendering. Arrangements  were  perfected  through  M. 
Andre  July  24,  but  the  army  delayed  the  actual  taking 
of  Manila  until  Aug.  13." 

Mr.  King  quotes  Admiral  Dewey  as  saying  to  him  on 
the  morning  of  August  14,  1898,  the  day  after  the  deal 
or  surrender  of  Manila:  'T  have  been  working  for  a 
month  for  this,  and  I  was  the  only  man  who  believed  it 
could  succeed.  Merritt  did  not  believe  it,  Anderson  and 
Greene  did  not  believe  it;  why,  even  my  flag  lieutenant 
thought  I  would  not  succeed." 

We  leave  it  to  the  world  to  decide,  which  to  believe 
hereafter^  when  any  controversy  arises  as  to  what  was 
promised  the  Filipinos,  the  man  who  gloried  in  having 
betrayed  his  allies  and  ours,  who  were  faithful  to  us,  or 
our  allies,  who  trusted  him  and  were  true  throughout  to 
us,  till  our  "rulers"  betrayed  both.  Anyone  who  would 
betray  an  ally  would  deny  it. 

General  Thomas  M.  Anderson,  as  the  first  command- 
ing general  of  the  military  forces  of  the  United  States  in 
the  Philippines,  came  in  closest  touch  with  the  Filipinos 
at  that  time,  and  often  officially  solicited  and  accepted 
their  "co-operation." 

On  page  4  of  Senate  Document  No.  208  of  the  56th 
Congress,  is  his  letter  of  July  4th,  1898,  to  Aguinaldo, 


234       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

in  which  he  wrote:  "I  desire  to  have  the  most  amicable 
relations  with  you  and  to  have  you  and  your  people 
co-operate  with  us  in  our  military  operations  against  the 
Spanish  forces." 

On  the  next  page  of  the  same  document  is  another 
letter  to  Aguinaldo,  dated  July  6th,  1898,  in  which  he 
wrote: 

*'I  would  like  to  have  your  excellency's  advice  and  co- 
operation, as  you  are  best  acquainted  with  the  resources 
of  this  country.  It  must  be  apparent  to  you  that  we  do 
not  intend  to  remain  here  inactive,  but  to  move  promptly 
against  our  common  enemy.  But  for  a  short  time  we 
must  organize  and  land  supplies  and  also  retain  a  place 
for  storing  them  near  our  fleet  and  transports." 

It  is  to  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  evidence  which 
could  be  multiplied,  that  both  Admiral  Dewey,  com- 
manding the  American  fleet,  and  General  Anderson, 
commanding  the  American  army  at  that  time,  offlcially 
invited  the  co-operation  of  the  Filipinos. 

They  both  also  gave  them  to  understand  that  they  con- 
sidered the  Filipinos  as  "friends"  and  the  Spaniards  as 
"our  common  enemy,"  against  whom  we  were  engaged 
in  actual  warfare,  which  constituted  us  allies  in  fact, 
whether  we  were  in  pact,  which  we  were,  or  not. 

General  Anderson  writes  in  his  article  in  the  North 
American  Review  for  February,  1900,  of  these  facts  as 
follows: 

"Our  first  serious  break  with  them  arose  from  the  re- 
fusal to  let  them  co-operate  with  us.  About  nine  o'clock 
on  the  evening  of  August  12th,  I  received  from  General 
Merritt  an  order  to  notify  Aguinaldo  to  forbid  the  Fili- 
pino insurgents  under  his  command  entering  Manila. 
This  communication  was  delivered  to  him  at  twenty 
minutes  past  ten  that  night. 

"The  Filipinos  had  made  every  preparation  to  assail 
the  Spanish  lines  in  their  front.     Certainly  they  would 


THE  BETRAYAL  OF  OUR  ALLIES.  235 

not  have  given  up  part  of  their  Hne  to  us  unless  they 
thought  they  were  to  fight  with  us.  They  therefore  re- 
ceived General  Merritt's  interdict  with  anger  and  indig- 
nation. They  considered  the  war  as  their  war,  and  Manila 
as  their  capital,  and  Luzon  as  their  country.     -1=     *     * 

"The  situation  was  exceedingly  critical.  Our  soldiers 
believed  that  the  Filipinos  had  fired  on  them,  and  the 
Filipinos  were  almost  beside  themselves  with  rage  and 
disappointment.  The  friendly  relations  we  had  with  Gen- 
erals Recati  and  Mbrial  alone  prevented  a  conflict  then 
and  there. 

"At  seven  o'clock  I  received  an  order  from  General 
Merritt  to  remove  the  Filipinos  from  the  city.  Had  we 
attempted  to  use  force,  we  would  have  had  to  fight  to 
carry  out  our  orders.  In  that  event  we  would  certainly 
have  had  a  serious  complication.  With  10,000  men  we 
would  have  had  to  guard  13,300  Spanish  prisoners  and 
fight  14,000  Filipinos.  I  therefore  took  the  responsibil- 
ity of  telegraphing  Aguinaldo,  who  was  at  Ba- 
coor,  ten  miles  away,  requesting  him  to  with- 
draw his  troops,  and  intimating  that  serious  conse- 
quences would  follow  if  he  did  not  do  so.  I  received  his 
answer  at  eleven  saying  that  a  commission  would  come 
to  me  next  morning  with  full  powers.  Accordingly  the 
next  day  Senors  Buencamino,  Lagarde,  Araneto  and 
Sandico  came  to  division  headquarters  in  Manila  and 
stated  that  they  were  authorized  to  order  the  withdrawal 
of  their  troops  if  we  would  promise  to  reinstate  them  in 
their  present  positions  on  our  making  peace  with  Spain. 
Thereupon  I  took  them  over  to  General  Merritt. 

"Upon  their  repeating  their  demands,  he  told  them  he 
could  not  give  such  a  pledge,  but  that  they  could  rely  on 
the  honor  of  the  American  people.  The  general  then 
read  to  them  the  proclamation  he  intended  to  issue  to  the 
Filipino  people.  The  commission  then  went  back  to 
Aguinaldo  for  further  instructions.  A  member  of  the 
commission  brought  me  a  leter  from  Aguinaldo  com- 
plaining that  he  had  been  harshly  treated,  and  that  his 
army  had  given  up  a  part  of  their  lines  to  us  on  the  under- 
standing that  there  was  to  be  a  co-operation  between 
us  in  future  military  movements.    I  showed  this  letter  to 


236       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

General  Merritt  after  the  commission  had  withdrawn. 
He  directed  me  to  reply  that  if  Aguinaldo  had  been  ap- 
parently harshly  treated  it  was  from  a  military  necessity, 
and  that,  while  we  might  recognize  the  justice  of  their 
insurrection,  it  was  thought  judicious  to  have  only  one 
army  in  Manila  at  one  time." 

This  shows  how  faithfully  our  Filipino  allies  "co- 
operated" with  us  tfil  betrayed  by  us  to  ''our  common 
enemy." 

If  anyone  doubts  the  fact  that  the  Filipinos  were  act- 
ually our  allies  we  wish  to  call  their  attention  to  the  fol- 
lowing official  acknowledgment  of  that  fact,  to  be  found 
upon  page  336  of  Senate  Document  No.  62  of  the  55th 
Congress  in  a  telegram  from  Consul-General  Wildman  to 
Secretary  of  State  Day: 

''Hongkong,  May  19,  1898. — Day,  Washington:  This 
answers  Long's  cable  to  Dewey.  From  best  information 
obtainable  Dewey  cannot  reply  under  week.  Twenty- 
one  thousand  Spanish  troops,  of  which  4,000  native,  2,000 
volunteers.  All  but  1,000  at  Manila.  They  have  ten 
mountain  guns ;  no  large  field  artillery ;  proven  last  rebel- 
lion not  practicable.  Plenty  good  ponies  12  hands  high. 
No  food  Philippines  but  rice.  Large  supply  of  rifles 
should  be  taken  for  insurgent  allies.  Wildman." 

As  Mr.  Wildman  made  the  arrangements  with  the 
Filipino  leaders  he  knew  whether  they  were  our  allies  or 
not,  and  General  Charles  King,  in  a  letter  to  the  Chicago 
Record  of  May  13,  1899,  writing  of  the  Filipinos  then, 
said.  "The  situation  was  a  strange  one.  We  were  allies 
at  the  start,  and  became  enemies  through  force  of  cir- 
cumstances." 

Aguinaldo  was  acknowledged  to  be  our  "ally"  before 
the  Paris  Peace  Commission,  as  follows: 

On  page  488  and  489  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part 
2,  Records  of  the  55th  Congress,  are  the  following  ques- 
tion and  answer: 


THE  BETRAYAL  OF  OUR  ALLIES.  237 

Mr.  Frye,  one  of  the  Paris  Peace  Commissioners, 
questioned  Commander  Bradford  of  the  U.  S.  navy,  as 
follows : 

"Suppose  the  United  States,  in  the  progress  of  that 
war,  found  the  leader  of  the  present  Philippine  rebellion 
an  exile  from  his  country  in  Hongkong  and  sent  for  him 
and  brought  him  to  the  islands  in  an  American  ship,  and 
then  furnished  him  4,000  or  5,000  stands  of  arms  and 
allowed  him  to  purchase  as  many  more  stands  of  arms 
in  Hongkong  and  accepted  his  aid  in  conquering  Luzon, 
what  kind  of  a  nation,  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  would  we 
appear  to  be  to  surrender  Aguinaldo  and  his  insurgents 
to  Spain,  to  be  dealt  with  as  they  pleased? 

"Answer:  We  become  responsible  for  everything  he 
has  done,  he  is  our  ally,  and  we  are  bound  to  protect 
him." 

Upon  these  points  we  find  the  evidence  of  General 
Charles  A.  Whittier,  U.  S.  volunteers,  who  received  the 
surrender  of  Manila  from  the  Spaniards.  On  page  499 
of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2,  records  of  the  55th 
Congress,  as  follows,  quoting  word  for  word  from  the 
records: 

"Aguinaldo  went  to  Cavite,  under  the  permission  of 
Admiral  Dewey,  in  reply  to  a  telegram  sent  by  Spencer 
Pratt,  Esq.,  our  consul-general  at  Singapore,  who  offered 
that  chief  money  for  his  expenses.  The  ofifer  was  de- 
clined. After  arrival  (on  one  of  our  ships)  he  went 
ashore,  accompanied  by  13  staflf  ofBcers,  to  organize  his 
army,  but  no  adherents  appeared  the  first  day,  and 
Aguinaldo,  rather  discouraged,  meditated  returning  to 
Hongkong.  I  think  Dewey  advised  him  to  make  an- 
other effort,  at  the  same  time  saying  that  he  must  leave 
the  public  buildings  at  Cavite,  where  he  had  made  his 
headquarters.  Soon  from  across  the  bay  and  from  all 
sides  men  gathered.  The  fact  that  Dewey  permitted  the 
armed  men  to  move  from  the  surrounding  districts  and 
the  rebels  to  take  arms  (not  many,  says  the  admiral)  in 
the  arsenal,  was  the  only  help  we  gave  him,  excepting 


238       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

of  course  the  most  important  destruction  of  the  Spanish 
navy.  From  that  time  the  miUtary  operations  and  the 
conduct  of  the  insurgents  have  been  most  creditable. 
Positions  taken  and  the  movements  of  troops,  show  great 
abihty  on  the  part  of  some  leader.  I  do  not  say  it  was 
necessarily  Aguinaldo,  but  he  gave  the  directions." 

"All  the  success  was  on  the  native  side,  and  yet  the 
Spaniards  surrendered  between  7,000  and  8,000  men,  well 
armed,  plenty  of  ammunition  and  in  good  physical  condi- 
tion." 

On  page  500,  General  Whittier  further  says  of  the 
Filipinos:  "Their  conduct  to  their  Spanish  prisoners 
has  been  deserving  of  the  praise  of  all  the  world.  With 
hatred  of  priests  and  Spaniards,  fairly  held  on  account 
of  the  conditions  before  narrated,  and  with  every  justifi- 
cation to  a  savage  mind  for  the  most  brutal  revenge,  I 
have  heard  no  instance  of  torture,  murder  or  brutality 
since  we  have  been  in  the  country." 

Upon  page  501,  this  question  is  put  to  General  Whit- 
tier: "How  far  does  the  admiral  say  he  encouraged 
Aguinaldo?  Answer:  I  do  not  think  he  says  he  gave 
him  any  encouragement,  except  that  he  dissuaded  him 
from  returning  to  Hongkong  when  he  was  discouraged. 

"Question:  Did  you  get  that  statement  from  Dewey? 
Answer:  Yes,  Aguinaldo  was  rather  discouraged  when 
any  of  the  people  failed  to  come  to  his  banner  on  the 
first  day. 

"Question:  Were  they  of  material  assistance  to  us? 
Answer:  Very  great.  *  *  *  I  think  if  they  (the  Span- 
iards) had  not  had  this  experience  of  having  been  driven 
back  into  the  city  and  the  water  cut  off,  so  even  Jau- 
dcnes  said  he  could  not  remove  his  non-combatants,  the 
government  (Spanish)  would  have  insisted  on  his  making 
a  fight,  and  he  could  have  made  a  very  good  one,  for  his 
position  was  strong,  if  they  had  any  fight  in  them  at  all. 
But  every  place  had  been  taken  from  them  by  the  Fili- 
pinos, who  managed  their  advances  and  occupation  of 
the  country  in  an  able  manner. 


THE  BETRAYAL  OF  OUR  ALLIES.  239 

"Question:  The  insurrection  had  been  ended  in  De- 
cember, 1897,  by  an  arrangement  under  which  certain 
money  was  paid  in  Hongkong  and  certain  reforms  prom- 
ised. Were  these  promises  ever  carried  out?  Answer: 
Not  at  alL" 

Upon  page  490  General  Whittier,  in  referring  to  the 
surrender  of  Manila,  says: 

"After  communications  addressed  by  Admiral  Dewey 
and  General  Merritt  to  the  acting  captain-general,  ask- 
ing him  to  remove  his  non-combatants,  and  next  de- 
manding the  surrender  of  the  city,  which  requests  were 
both  denied,  the  Belgian  consul,  as  a  semi-intermediary, 
came  repeatedly  to  Dewey  and  proposed  different  meth- 
ods of  giving  up  the  city,  after  we  had  made  an  attack, 
which  he  said  was  necessary  to  satisfy  Spanish  honor.  So 
the  guns  opened  on  August  13th,  and  after  the  white 
flag  was  shown,  I  was  sent  to  receive  the  surrender. 

"I  think  the  captain-general  was  much  frightened.  He 
reported  in  great  trepidation  that  the  insurgents  were 
coming  into  the  city,  and  I  said  that  I  knew  that  was 
impossible,  because  such  precautions  had  been  taken  as 
rendered  it  so.  The  subject  had  been  broached  two  days 
before  and  all  the  arrangements  had  been  made." 

General  Thomas  M.  Anderson,  in  his  letter  in  the  Chi- 
cago Record  of  February  the  24th,  1900,  wrote  of  this 
occurrence  as  follows:  "Finally,  just  before  we  took 
Manila,  and  while  Andre,  the  Belgian  consul,  was  trying 
to  bring  about  a  surrender  without  a  fight,"  etc.,  thus 
acknowledging  these  negotiations. 

Mr.  Andre  himself,  in  his  report  of  the  negotiations, 
states  that  it  was  agreed  that  at  a  certain  time  the  Amer- 
icans should  advance,  and  making  a  show  of  fight,  the 
Spaniards  would  fall  back,  provided  the  Americans 
would  promptly  occupy  the  Spanish  positions,  and  pre- 
vent the  entry  of  the  Filipino  forces  into  Manila,  which  it 


240       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

IS  acknowledged  by  all  concerned,  was  done,  in  accord- 
ance with  agreements. 

Thus  it  appears  clearly  from  both  official  records  and 
other  published  reports,  that  we  (Americans),  after  ask- 
ing the  Filipinos  to  act  as  our  "allies"  against  "our  com- 
mon enemy,"  the  Spaniards,  and  during  their  faithful 
"co-operation"  with  us  in  battle  and  before,  both  bar- 
tered away  their  freedom  and  country  in  connivance  with 
"our  common  enemy,"  at  Paris  and  Washington,  and 
betrayed  them  before  their  mortal  foes  at  Manila. 

Thus  it  is  evident  that  neither  Aguinaldo  nor  the  Fili- 
pinos betrayed  their  country,  nor  ours,  but  that  we,  act- 
ing as  alHes,  betrayed  both  them  and  theirs. 

As  General  Anderson,  who  asked  for  Aguinaldo's  co- 
operation, when  commander  of  our  army,  wrote  in  the 
North  American  Review  for  February,  1900: 

"Our  first  serious  break  with  them  arose  from  our  re- 
fusal to  let  them  co-operate  with  us,     *     *     * 

"The  Filipinos  had  made  every  preparation  to  assail 
the  Spanish  lines  in  their  front.  Certainly  they  would 
not  have  given  up  part  of  their  line  to  us  unless  they 
thought  they  were  to  fight  with  us.  They  therefore  re- 
ceived General  Merritt's  interdict  with  anger  and  indig- 
nation. They  considered  the  war  as  their  war,  and 
Manila  as  their  capital,  and  Luzon  as  their  country." 

On  August  27th,  1898,  Aguinaldo  wrote  a  letter  to 
General  Merritt,  which  was  turned  over  to  General  Otis 
when  he  took  command. 

A  copy  of  said  letter  can  be  seen  upon  page  5  of  Gen- 
eral Otis'  official  report,  in  which  Aguinaldo  wrote  as 
follows : 

"You  ought  to  understand  that  without  the  long  siege 
sustained  by  my  forces,  you  might  have  obtained  pos- 
session of  the  ruins  of  the  city  (Manila),  but  never  the 


THE  BETRAYAL  OF  OUR  ALLIES.  241 

rendition  of  the  Spanish  forces,  who  could  have  retired 
to  the  interior  towns." 

Under  date  of  Manila,  September  8th,  1898,  General 
Otis  replied  in  a  letter  to  be  found  upon  pages  6,  7,  8  and 
9  of  his  official  report.  From  this  answer  we  quote  the 
following: 

"Referring  to  the  sacrifices  your  troops  have  made, 
and  the  assistance  they  have  rendered  the  American 
forces  in  the  capture  of  Manila,  it  is  well  known  they 
have  made  personal  sacrifices,  endured  great  hardships 
and  have  rendered  aid.' 

Referring  to  the  Spanish  war  he  added:  "It  was  un- 
dertaken by  the  United  States  for  humanity^s  sake,  and 
not  for  its  aggrandizement,  or  for  any  national  profit  it 
expected  to  receive." 

Here  simple  justice  to  the  truth  demands  a  reference 
to  a  remark  made  by  General  Anderson  in  an  interview 
from  Cincinnati,  published  in  the  New  York  Sun  of  July 
2oth,  1899,  as  regards  a  statement  of  Mr.  Halstead's  that 
the  Spanish  had  tried  to  treat  with  Aguinaldo. 

General  Anderson  is  quoted  as  saying:  "I  told  Hal- 
stead  that,  and  sent  a  letter  to  the  same  effect  to  the 
department,  before  Manila  had  been  taken.  The  negotia- 
tions fell  through,  and  after  that  the  city  was  taken.  The 
Filipinos  are  good  fighters  and  had  the  Spanish  whipped 
easily." 

It  is  said  that  out  of  deference  to  Admiral  Dewey 
and  the  wishes  of  the  Americans,  who  were  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  General  Merritt  with  his  reinforcements,  the 
Filipinos  refrained  from  taking  Manila,  never  dreaming 
of  the  treachery  that  was  to  betray  them  both  at  Paris 
and  Manila  to  their  mortal  enemies,  the  Spanish  friars, 
after  their  valiant  victories  over  them. 


242   THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

FREEDOM  FOREVER!  FREEDOM  FOR  ALL! 

We  have  heard  the  cry  of  Cuba, 
And  we've  answered  to  her  call, 

Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom! 
But  the  men  of  old  Majuba 
And  the  Filipinos  fall — 

Fall  for  the  sacred  cause  of  freedom ! 

CHORUS : 

Freedom  forever!     Freedom  for  all! 

We'll  break  every  fetter, 
We'll  burst  every  thrall, 
For  our  starry  flag  shall  be 
Banner  of  the  brave  and  free. 

Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom! 

As  they  fought  at  Santiago, 
And  on  old  Manila  Bay, 

Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom — 
So  from  'Frisco  to  Chicago, 

Back  to  Boston's  tea-strewn  bay, 
Stand  for  the  sacred  cause  of  freedom ! 

From  the  Lakes  to  Gulf  and  Oceans, 
We  will  stand  by  those  who  fell, 
Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom , 
■'Mid  the  din  of  war's  commotions. 
For  the  cause  we  love  so  well, 

Stand  for  the  sacred  cause  of  freedom! 

— H.  H.  Van  Meter. 
Chicago,  August,  1900. 

The  treatment  of  the  Filipinos  at  the  prearranged  sur- 
render of  Manila  reminds  us  much  of  the  treatment  of 
grand  old  Garcia  and  his  army  of  barefooted,  ragged, 
but  brave  and  patriotic  allies,  after  the  surrender  of  San- 
tiago, who  were  not  allowed  then  to  enter  their  own  city, 
but  were  treated  like  a  band  of  guerrillas,  cut-throats  and 
thieves.  The  same  secret  influences  that  befriended  the 
friars  in  the  Philippines  interfered  with  affairs  at  San- 
tiago. The  same  spirit  of  duplicity,  treachery  and  deceit 
that  turned  down  the  Cuban  patriots,  betrayed  the  pa- 
triots of  the  Philippines.  It  is  that  spirit  of  so-called 
''patriotism"  whose   arbhorrent   ''statesmanship,"  better 


THE  BETRAYAL  OF  OUR  ALLIES.  243 

termed,  "boodling,"  seeks  to  secure  for  American  mer- 
cenaries every  possible  advantage  to  be  gained  by  trade, 
regardless  of  vast  expenditures  of  priceless  blood  and 
countless  treasure,  to  say  nothing  of  untold  agony  at 
home,  and  far  greater  sufferings  abroad,  among  the  help- 
less people  they  propose  to  plunder.  It  is  the  system 
of  vampire  politics  which  seeks  to  suck  the  life  blood 
out  of  the  body  politic  and  would  gladly  betray  the  prin- 
ciples of  liberty  laid  down  in  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence (the  foundations  of  freedom),  and  the  Great  Repub- 
lic, for  political  spoils  in  the  Philippines,  or  any  where 
else,  ever  keeping  in  view  the  vast  political  influences  of 
the  friends  of  the  friars,  the  world  over,  for  future  Ameri- 
can elections. 

That  grand  old  patriot,  hero  and  Christian  gentleman, 
Calixto  Garcia,  who  had  been  brutally  treated,  wrote  the 
following  fitting  letter: 

(By  the  Associated  Press.) 

New  York,  July  22. — A  dispatch  from  Santiago  gives 
the  following  as  being  a  letter  sent  by  General  Garcia 
to  General  Shafter: 

"Sir:  On  May  12  the  government  of  the  republic  of 
Cuba  ordered  me,  as  commander  of  the  Cuban  army  in 
the  east,  to  co-operate  with  the  American  army,  follow- 
ing the  plans  and  obeying  the  orders  of  its  commander. 
I  have  done  my  best,  sir,  to  fulfill  the  wishes  of  my 
government  and  I  have  been  until  now  one  of  your  most 
faithful  subordinates,  honoring  myself  in  carrying  out 
your  orders  as  far  as  my  powers  have  allowed  me  to  do  it. 

*'The  city  of  Santiago  surrendered  to  the  American 
army,  and  news  of  that  important  event  was  given  to 
many  persons  entirely  foreign  to  your  staff.  I  have  not 
been  honored  with  a  single  word  from  yourself  informing 
me  about  the  negotiations  for  peace,  or  the  terms  of  the 
capitulation  by  the  Spaniards.  The  important  ceremony 
of  the  surrender  of  the  Spanish  army  and  the  taking  pos- 


244       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

session  of  the  city  by  yourself  took  place  later  on,  and 
I  only  knew  of  both  events  by  public  reports. 

"I  was  neither  honored,  sir,  with  a  kind  word  from 
you  inviting  myself  or  any  officer  of  my  staff  to  represent 
the  Cuban  army  on  the  memorable  occasion. 

"Finally,  I  know  that  you  have  left  in  power  at  San- 
tiago the  same  Spanish  authorities  that  for  three  years 
I  have  fought  as  the  enemies  of  the  independence  of 
Cuba.  I  beg  to  say  that  these  authorities  have  never 
been  elected  at  Santiago  by  the  residents  of  the  city,  but 
were  appointed  by  royal  decrees  of  the  queen  of  Spain. 

"I  would  agree,  sir,  that  the  army  under  your  com- 
mand should  have  taken  possession  of  the  city,  the  gar- 
rison and  the  forts.  I  would  give  my  warrh  co-operation 
to  any  measure  you  may  have  deemed  best  under  Ameri- 
can military  law  to  hold  the  city  for  your  army  and  to 
preserve  public  order  until  the  time  comes  to  fulfill  the 
solemn  pledge  of  the  people  of  the  United -States  to  es- 
tablish in  Cuba  a  free  and  independent  government.  But 
when  the  question  arises  of  appointing  authorities  in 
Santiago  de  Cuba,  under  the  peculiar  circumstances  of 
our  thirty-years'  strife  against  Spanish  rule,  I  cannot  see 
but  with  the  deepest  regret  that  such  authorities  are  not 
elected  by  the  Cuban  people,  but  are  the  same  ones 
selected  by  the  queen  of  Spain,  and  hence  are  ministers 
to  defend  against  the  Cubans  the  Spanish  sovereignity. 

"A  rumor,  too  absurd  to  believe,  general,  ascribes  the 
reason  of  your  measures  and  of  the  orders  forbidding  my 
army  to  enter  Santiago  to  fear  of  massacres  and  revenge 
against  the  Spaniards.  Allow  me,  sir,  to  protest  against 
even  the  shadow  of  such  an  idea.  We  are  not  savages 
ignoring  the  rules  of  civilized  warfare.  We  are  a  poor, 
ragged  army — as  ragged  and  as  poor  as  was  the  army  of 
your  forefathers  in  their  noble  war  for  independence — 
but,  as  did  the  heroes  of  Saratoga  and  Yorktown,  we  re- 
spect too  deeply  our  cause  to  disgrace  it  with  barbarism 
and  cowardice. 

"In  view  of  all  these  reasons,  I  sincerely  regret  to  be 
unable  to  fulfill  any  longer  the  orders  of  my  government, 
and  therefore  I  have  tendered  to-day  to  the  commander- 


PLOTTING  FOR  THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE.   245 

in-chief  of  the  Cuban  army,  Maj.-Gen.  Maximo  Gomez, 
my  resignation  as  commander  of  this  section  of  our  army. 
Awaiting  his  resolution,  I  withdraw  my  forces  to  the 
interior.     Very  respectfully  yours, 

"Calixto  Garcia." 

The  situations  at  Santiago  and  Manila  were  precisely 
the  same.  General  Garcia  like  many  another  noble  Cath- 
olic Cuban,  had  been  excommunicated  as  a  Masonic  in- 
surrectionist, because  he  was  a  Cuban  patriot.  The 
Filipinos  had  the  same  reasons  for  fighting,  and  the  same 
foes  to  face. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
PLOTTING   FOR  THE  TREATY   OF   PEACE. 

As  soon  as  Santiago  had  fallen  the  Spaniards  saw  their 
cause  was  lost,  and  began  to  sue  for  peace.  The  peace 
protocol  was  signed  and  the  Paris  Peace  Commission 
proposed,  which  gave  the  friars  and  their  friends  just  the 
opportunity  for  which  their  training  in  intrigue  best  fitted 
them. 

As  they  had'  worked  from  the  first  to  prevent  the 
war  for  freedom,  so  now  they  sought  to  pervert  it  into  a 
war  of  oppression  upon  the  Filipinos,  in  behalf  of  the 
villainous  friars,  who  had  brought  about  their  own  down- 
fall, by  their  barbarous  rule. 

President  McKinley  and  his  advisers  who  had  done  all 
that  they  dared  to  do,  to  prevent  the  war  for  human  free- 
dom, then  seemed  determined  to  do  all  in  their  power 
to  defeat  the  purposes  of  that  war,  through  the  Treaty  of 
Peace  at  Paris.  How  well  they  have  succeeded  history 
will  show. 

When  the  Paris  Peace  Commission  was  being  formed, 
the  friends  of  the  friars  and  religious  orders  were  as  act- 


246       THE  TRUTH   ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

ive  as  when  they  were  endeavoring  to  avert  the  war  for 
freedom  in  Cuba,  as  can  be  seen  from  the  following : 

The  daily  press  of  August  11,  1898,  published  the  fol- 
lowing telegram: 

''Rome,  Aug.  10. — The  Tribuna  says  that  the  Vatican 
is  in  constant  communication -with  Archbishop  Ireland, 
Mgr.  Martinelli,  apostolic  delegate  in  the  United  States, 
and  Duke  Almodavor  de  Rio,  the  Spanish  minister  of 
foreign  affairs,  endeavoring  to  secure  clauses  in  the 
treaty  of  peace  that  will  safeguard  the  religious  interests 
of  Catholic  residents  in  countries  to  be  ceded  by  Spain 
to  the  United  States." 

The  New  York  Evening  Post,  of  August  19,  1898,  con- 
tained this  item: 

'Washington,  Aug.  19. — The  members  of  the  cabinet, 
except  Secretaries  Day  and  Long,  who  are  out  of  the 
city,  were  prompt  in  reaching  the  White  House  to-day 
for  the  regular  session.  Archbishop  Ireland  was  one  of 
the  notable  visitors  at  the  White  House  to-day.  He  ar- 
rived about  ten  o'clock,  and  had  a  conference  with  Presi- 
dent McKinley.  He  preserved  his  usual  reticence,  but 
it  is  reported.that  he  is  empowered  to  make  representa- 
tions to  the  administration  looking  to  the  protection  of 
the  interests  of  the  church  of  Rome  in  our  new  territorial 
accessions,  particularly  in  Porto  Rico." 

The  New  York  Sun,  of  August  19,  1898,  had  the  fol- 
lowing: 

''Washington,  Aug.  19. — Another  visitor  to  the  White 
House  who  had  an  interview  with  the  President,  was 
Archbishop  Ireland,  whose  stay  in  Washington  has  been 
protracted  beyond  the  period  assigned  to  it  by  the  arch- 
bishop when  he  came  on  Wednesday.  His  grace  de- 
clined to  say  anything  about  the  errand  that  keeps  him 
here,  but  current  talk  connects  it  with  the  mention  of 
Bourke  Cochran's  name  as  one  of  the  Peace  Commission 
or  as  legal  adviser  of  that  body.  Later  in  the  day  Arch- 
bishop Ireland  saw  Secretary  Gage  at  the  Treasury  De- 


PLOTTING  FOR  THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE.   247 

partment.    It  was  stated  that  the  holding  of  the  Vatican 
in  the  Spanish-Cuban  4s  amounted  to  $60,000,000." 

The  Boston  Herald,  August  20,  1898,  read: 

"Washington,  Aug.  19,  1898. — Archbishop  Ireland, 
the  special  representative  of  the  Pope  in  all  the  antebel- 
lum peace  negotiations,  has  been  for  several  days  talking 
with  cabinet  officers,  and  had  a  long  interview  with  the 
President  to-day.  Like  the  diplomat  that  he  is,  Arch- 
bishop Ireland  tells  the  newspaper  men  that  his  visit  has 
no  significance;  but  it  is  well  understood  that  it  has  had 
at  least  two  objects  here,  and  that  he  is  probably  acting 
under  instructions  from  Rome  of  an  unofficial  character. 

*'One  of  his  objects  is  to  secure  the  appointment  of  at 
least  one  peace  commissioner  who  will  be  considerate  in 
the  negotiations  at  Paris  of  the  other  object,  which  is  to 
protect  the  interests  of  the  church  in  Cuba,  Porto  Rico, 
and  the  Philippines. 

"Archbishop  Ireland  is  a  friend  of  Senator  Davis  of 
his  own  State,  who  has  accepted  a  place  on  the  com- 
mission, but  the  archbishop  would  like  to  see  Justice 
White,  or  some  other  member  of  his  own  church,  ap- 
pointed." 

An  editorial  in  the  Washington  Times,  August  2*], 
1898,  said: 

"It  is  understood  that  Justice  White's  appointment 
(to  the  Paris  Peace  Commission — afterwards  withdrawn 
because  of  popular  protest)  will  greatly  please  Arch- 
bishop Ireland  and  other  potentates  of  the  Catholic 
church,  which  has  vast  property  interest  in  the  Philip- 
pines, and  all  the  other  Spanish  islands  of  which  pos- 
session has  been  taken  by  the  American  forces.  Justice 
White  will  be  expected  to  protect  the  Catholic  interests, 
although  he  is  in  no  sense  a  representative  of  the  church. 
Under  Spanish  rule  there  is  now,  and  always  has  been, 
a  bond  between  church  and  state." 

A  dispatch  to  the  New  York  Sun,  August  25,  1898, 
declared: 

"The  fact  that  Justice  White  is  the  candidate  whose 


248       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

appointment  has  been  urged  by  Bishop  Ireland,  repre- 
senting the  Catholic  church,  were  facts  that  had  weight 
with  the  President  in  deciding  to  appoint  him." 

But  public  opinion  was  opposed  to  this  appointment, 
and  Justice  White  declined  the  courtesy  of  a  place  upon 
the  Commission,  as  is  reported. 

Then  followed  the  fiasco  of  the  victors  agreeing  to  pay 
the  vanquished  an  indemnity  of  $20,000,000,  though  they 
have  refused  to  pay  their  ''allies"  one  penny  of  fair  re- 
muneration, for  vast  expenditures  of  blood  and  treasure 
which,  we  know  as  our  own  official  representative  de- 
clared, they  are  honestly  entitled  to. 

Worse  than  that,  they  refused  them  any  voice  what- 
ever in  the  negotiations  for  their  future,  while  allowing 
''our  common  enemy"  every  advantage. 

Finally  to  cap  the  climax  of  "Criminal  Aggression," 
they  bartered  away  both  their  land  and  liberty,  and  be- 
trayed them  to  their  mortal  foes,  the  friars. 

The  Filipinos  having  already  conquered  them,  and 
holding  most  of  them  as  hostages  for  future  safety,  had 
also  regained  the  vast  estates  stolen  from  the  people  by 
centuries  of  oppression,  to  whom  Aguinaldo's  republi- 
can government  had  determined  to  return  them,  while 
banishing  their  Spanish  robbers  and  outragers  back  to 
Spain. 

General  Anderson,  on  the  field  at  that  time,  wrote 
thus: 

"We  held  Manila  and  Cavite.  The  rest  of  the  island 
was  held  not  by  the  Spaniards,  but  by  the  Filipinos.  On 
the  other  islands  the  Spaniards  were  confined  to  two  or 
three  fortified  towns.  At  the  time  referred  to  we  could 
not  claim  to  hold  by  purchase,  for  we  had  not  then  re- 
ceived Spain's  quitclaim  deed  to  the  archipelago.  Mak- 
ing allowances  for  the  difference  of  time,  we  took  Manila 


^■    -^^-. 


PLOTTING  FOR  THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE.   249 

almost  to  the  hour  when  the  peace  preHminaries  were 
signed  at  Washington." 

These  ''preliminaries"  resulted  in  the  Treaty  of  Peace 
at  Paris. 

Article  three  of  the  Peace  Protocol  between  the 
United  States  and  Spain  reads: 

"The  United  States  will  occupy  and  hold  the  city,  bay 
and  harbor  of  Manila  pending  the  conclusion  of  the 
treaty  of  peace,  which  shall  determine  the  control,  dis- 
position and  government  of  the  Philippines." 

This  protocol  was  signed  on  August  12,  1898,  and  the 
treaty  of  peace  was  not  ratified  until  April  11,  1899,  yet 
pursuant  to  instructions  from  Washington  Gen.  Wesley 
Merritt  proclaimed  a  military  government  in  the  Philip- 
pines, the  day  after  the  occupation  of  Manila,  August  14, 
1898,  concluding  his  proclamation  with  the  following 
clause: 

''VII.  The  commanding  general  in  announcing  the 
establishment  of  military  government  and  in  entering 
upon  his  duty  as  military  governor,  in  pursuance  of  his 
appointment  as  such  by  the  Government  of  the  United 
States,"  etc.     *     *     * 

The  full  text  of  this  proclamation  may  be  found  upon 
pages  86-9  of  Senate  document.  No.  208  of  the  56th  Con- 
gress, showing  conclusively  that  no  regard  whatever  was 
paid  to  the  public  terms  of  the  peace  protocol,  nor  to  the 
constitutional  requirements  for  what  was  virtually  the 
beginning  of  a  war  of  conquest  in  the  Philippines,  Con- 
gress having  never  declared  such  a  war. 

Any  who  doubt  this  statement  are  referred  to  official 
records  for  proof  as  follows:  From  page  55  to  68  of  Gen. 
E.  S.  Otis'  official  report  may  be  found  an  account  of  the 
expedition  against  Iloilo,  troops  being  ordered  to  that 
port  by  President  McKinley  as  he  pretended — "to  pre- 
serve the  peace."    See  page  55. 


250       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT   THE  PHILIPPINES. 

As  everything  was  peaceful  and  prosperous  under 
the  Philippine  government,  the  foreign  merchants  pro- 
tested against  interference  upon  the  part  of  the  United 
States  on  the  ground  that  it  v^ould  result  in  loss  of  life 
and  property  v^ithout  any  reason  or  excuse  for  the  same. 

The  publication  of  the  President's  Benevolent  Assimi- 
lation Proclamation  at  Iloilo,  and  of  General  Otis'  Be- 
nevolent Dissimulation  substitute  for  the  same  at  Manila 
at  the  same  time,  showed  President  McKinley's  double 
dealing  so  plainly  that  the  storm  of  war  burst  just  as  the 
Americans  had  anticipated  and  planned. 

Ignoring  the  terms  of  the  Peace  Protocol,  ignoring  the 
prerogatives  of  the  Sentate  of  the  United  States  which 
had  not  ratified  the  Treaty  of  Peace,  ignoring  the  Con- 
gress of  the  United  States  which  alone  could  legislate  for 
the  government  of  the  Philippines,  if  they  were  ours, 
the  President  proclaimed  what  General  Otis  rightly 
termed,  "a  Military  Despotism."  Proclaiming  peace, 
he  made  war,  without  declaration. 

Then  it  was  that  the  same  subtle  influences  came  se- 
cretly into  action  again,  to  defeat  the  dictates  of  human- 
ity, which  led  Mr.  McKinley  and  his  advisers  to  try  to 
thwart  the  overwhelming  will  of  the  people,  when  the 
conscience  of  America  demanded  war  for  the  freedom  of 
Cuba,  and  commanded  it,  through  its  representatives  in 
Congress,  by  an  irresistible  public  sentiment. 

From  the  Pope  of  Rome  himself,  to  the  humblest  rep- 
resentative of  the  Roman  Catholic  hierarchy,  every 
friend  of  the  friars  was  alert,  and  the  almost  irresistible 
influence  of  that  system  of  centuries,  and  that  splendid 
discipline  of  ages,  stole  victory  from  defeat,  turning 
despair  to  defiance. 

Our  government  was  induced  to  pay  a  paltry  $20,000,- 
000  for  the  privilege  of  supplanting  Spanish  with  Ameri- 


SPANISH  OFFICERS  SICK  OF  FRIARS.  251 

can  soldiers,  to  suppress  a  struggle  for  that  freedom  in 
the  Philippines  which  we  went  to  war  with  Spain  to 
win  for  Cuba. 

This  treachery  has  already  cost  hundreds  of  millions 
of  dollars  and  is  likely  to  cost  us  many  times  more  in 
money,  not  to  mention  priceless  blood  and  national 
honor,  all  spent  for  the  purpose  of  saving  ''our  common 
enemy"  the  Spanish  friars  with  their  stolen  estates,  and 
exploiting  our  allies,  the  Filipinos. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

RETENTION  OF   FRIARS   FATAL  TO   PEACE. 

On  page  389  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2,  of 
the  records  of  the  55th  Congress,  is  to  be  found  the  fol- 
lowing statement  of  M.  Andre,  then  Belgian  Consul  at 
Manila,  in  his  evidence  before  the  Paris  Peace  Com- 
missioners : 

"The  Spanish  officers  refuse  to  fight  for  the  sake  of 
the  priests,  and  if  the  Spanish  government  should  retain 
the  Philippines  their  soldiers  will  all  fall  prisoners  in  the 
hands  of  the  Indians  in  the  same  way  as  they  did  already, 
and  this  is  because  the  army  is  sick  of  war  without  result, 
and  only  to  put  the  country  at  the  mercy  of  the  rapa- 
cious empleadas  and  luxurious  monks. 

'The  monks  know  that  they  are  no  more  wanted  in  the 
Philippines,  and  they  asked  me  to  help  them  to  go  away 
as  soon  as  possible,  and  it  is  principally  for  them  that  I 
asked  for  the  transports  to  the  United  States  govern- 
ment, and  to  send  them  to  Hongkong.  The  Indians  will 
be  delighted  to  see  them  go  and  will  be  grateful  to  the 
United  States. 

'Tf  some  chiefs  of  the  rebellion  will  be  a  little  dis- 
appointed in  their  personal  pride,  they  will  be  convinced 
that  it  is  better  for  them  to  submit  in  any  case,  for  most 
of  these  chiefs  prefer  American  authority,  and  they  are 


252       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

very  anxious  to  know  the  result  of  the  meeting  of  Paris. 
If  the  United  States  keeps  the  islands,  they  will  remain 
quiet,  but  if  the  Spanish  authority  is  restored  in  the 
islands,  or  part  of  them,  they  will  attack  the  Spaniards, 
and  be  in  constant  revolt.  This  has  been  told  me  by 
Aguinaldo,  Landico,  Ziroma,  Mabini  and  other  prin- 
cipal chiefs,  and  repeated  on  Sunday,  28th  of  August 
(1898).  Very  respectfully, 

"Andre." 

When  the  Treaty  of  Peace  provided  as  it  did  for  the 
release  of  the  friars,  the  retention  by  them  of  their  stolen 
estates,  and  their  virtual  return  thereby,  to  power,  the 
worst  element  of  Spanish  rule  was  restored,  to  be  per- 
petuated, according  to  this  treaty,  under  American  pro- 
tection, as  ample  evidence  like  the  following  proves : 

Upon  page  589  of  Senate  document.  No.  62,  of  the 
55th  Congress,  Mr.  Foreman  testifies  to  that  fact:  "I 
have  so  far  only  alluded  to  the  civil  and  military  gov- 
ernment, which  is  virtually  nothing  more  than  the  execu- 
tive of  the  ecclesiastical  authority.  The  real  rulers  of 
the  islands  are  the  four  corporations  of  friars,  namely, 
the  Augustinian,  Dominican,  Franciscan  and  Recoleto 
orders,"  and  all  authorities  agree  with  this  statement. 

In  his  evidence  presented  to  the  Paris  Peace  Com- 
mission, upon  page  417  of  Senate  document.  No.  62,  Gen. 
F.  V.  Greene  stated  that  "The  archbishop  and  four  bish- 
ops are  appointed  by  the  Pope,"  and  as  they  will  still  be 
appointed  by  him  as  heads  of  the  orders,  the  government 
will  remain  as  it  was  virtually,  if  they  remain,  for  they 
will  rule  or  ruin,  as  in  the  past. 

On  page  418  of  Senate  document.  No.  62,  General 
Greene  states  that  "the  Governor-General  is  the  supreme 
head  of  ever^^^  branch  of  pubHc  service,  not  excepting 
the  courts  of  justice.  How  this  power  was  exercised 
is  shown  in  the  hundreds  of  executions  for  alleged  poli- 
tical offenses  which  took  place  during  the  years  1895, 


RETENTION  OF  FRIARS.  253 

1896  and  1897,  by  the  thousands  deported  to  Mindanao 
and  Fernando  Po,  and  by  the  number  of  poHtical  prison- 
ers in  jail  at  the  time  of  our  entry  into  Manila.  On  the 
first  examination  which  General  MacArthur,  as  military 
governor,  made  of  the  jail,  about  August  22,  he  released 
over  60  prisoners  confined  for  political  offenses.  One 
of  them  was  a  woman  who  had  been  in  prison  for  eleven 
years,  by  order  of  the  Governor-General,  but  without 
any  charges  ever  having  been  presented  against  her; 
another  was  a  woman  who  had  been  in  jail  for  three 
years,  on  a  vague  charge,  never  formulated,  of  having 
carried  a  basket  of  cartridges  to  an  insurgent.     *     *     * 

''Finally  the  government  officials  of  all  classes  refused 
to  perform  their  functions.  The  desire  of  most  of  them  is 
to  escape  to  Spain.  It  was  stated  in  the  capitulation  that 
they  should  have  the  right  to  do  so  at  their  own  ex- 
pense and  numbers  of  them,  as  well  as  friars,  have  al- 
ready taken  their  departure. 

"The  Spanish  officials  have  intense  fear  of  the  insur- 
gents, and  the  latter  hate  them,  as  well  as  the  friars,  with 
a  virulence  that  can  hardly  be  described.  They  have 
fought  them  with  success  and  almost  without  interrup- 
tion for  two  years,  and  they  will  continue  to  fight  them 
with  increased  vigor,  and  still  greater  prospect  of  success, 
if  any  attempt  is  made  to  restore  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment." 

If  it  is  true  as  witnesses  agree  that  the  friars  have 
been  the  real  rulers  of  the  islands  under  the  Spanish 
regime,  then  their  restoration  means  the  retention  of  the 
worst  element  of  Spanish  oppression  under  the  protec- 
tion of  America. 

This  is  what  the  Filipinos  have  been  fighting  against 
for  years  and  they  are  justified  in  fighting  against  it  still, 
and  they  were  forced  to  fight  against  us  when  the  Treaty 
of  Peace  became  known  to  them,  or  submit  to  what  no 
true  American  would  see  any  one  submit  to. 


254       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Even  the  "virtuous"  Archbishop  Nozaleda,  of  Manila, 
whose  ''pastorals"  had  appealed  so  passionately  to  the 
people  to  arise  and  exterminate  the  American  heretics, 
had  declared  as  early  as  September  i8,  1898,  that  "the  re- 
ligious orders  must  go,"  as  follows: 

[By  the  Associated  Press.] 

"Manila,  Sept.  18,  (1898).— Archbishop  Dozal  (should 
read  Nozaleda),  of  the  Philippine  islands,  says: 

'I  earnestly  hope  the  islands  will  not  remain  Spanish, 
because  the  rebels  are  now  so  strong  that  such  a  course 
would  inevitably  cause  appalling  bloodshed.  The  re- 
conquest  of  the  natives  is  impossible  until  after  years  of 
the  most  cruel  warfare.  I  also  hope  the  islands  will  not 
become  absolutely  independent,  because  it  is  certain  that 
dissensions  will  occur  which  will  result  in  incessant  strife 
and  a  lapse  into  barbarism  and  the  natural  indolence  of 
the  tropical  race.  The  only  hope  is  that  a  strong  western 
power  will  intervene  now.  Delay  is  dangerous  because 
the  people  are  intoxicated,  vainglorious  and  restless. 

Tt  is  undeniable  that  the  religious  orders  must  go, 
because  the  whole  people  have  determined  to  abolish 
them  now  that  they  are  able  to  render  their  retention 
impossible.' 

"The  total  number  of  Spanish  priests  in  the  Philip- 
pines before  the  war  was  about  1,000,  but  lately  every 
departing  steamer  has  taken  fifty  or  100  of  them  away, 
and  now  barely  500  remain.  A  native  priest  privately 
says  the  reason  the  archbishop  hopes  for  the  expulsion 
of  the  friarly  orders  is  that  they  have  grown  too  powerful 
for  him.  Several  Spaniards  say  they  will  refuse  to  re- 
main here  if  Spain  is  reinstated  in  the  control  of  the 
islands.  Many  of  the  Spanish  soldiers  refuse  to  serve 
again,  and  Spanish  officers  prefer  to  become  American 
subjects. 

"The  annexationists  have  a  majority  of  seventy-one  in 
the  national  assembly,  but  the  discussion  of  the  subject 
has  not  been  finished." 

Upon  page  339  of  Senate  document.  No.  (^2,  Mr.  Wild- 
man  states  in  an  official  letter: 


RETENTION  OF  FRIARS.  255 

"As  for  the  mass  of  uneducated  natives  they  would 
be  content  under  any  rule  save  that  of  the  friars." 

According  to  the  Associated  Press  dispatch  just  quoted, 
there  were  then  only  about  five  hundred  friars  in  the 
Philippines,  about  half  of  their  number  having  fled,  which 
statement  seems  to  be  substantiated  by  the  facts  and  evi- 
dence in  the  case. 

Allowing  only  10,000,000  population  for  the  Philip- 
pines, there  would  be  then  only  one  friar  for  every  twenty 
thousands  of  Filipinos,  and  yet  our  "government  of  the 
people  by  the  people  for  the  people,"  in  order  to  favor 
one  foreign  friar,  defrauded  twenty  thousands  of  native 
Filipinos,  sacrificing  the  wishes  and  welfare  of  the  10,- 
000,000  native  Filipinos  for  the  intrigues  of  five  hundred 
foreign  friars. 

Any  one  feeling  that  it  is  impossible  for  a  few  friars 
to  subvert  the  freedom  of  so  many  millions,  must  re- 
member that  they  are  doing  so  and  have  done  so  for 
three  centuries. 

Any  one  believing  that  it  will  be  impossible  for  the 
friars  to  continue  their  reign  of  terror  under  the  Ameri- 
can government,  must  tell  how  it  happens  then  that 
their  influence  has  caused  "Protestant"  America  to  send 
an  army  of  80,000  men  to  reinstate  them,  when  "Catho- 
lic" Spain  refused  to  reinforce  Governor-General  Blanco, 
when  he  demanded  80,000  men  to  protect  them,  or  their 
expulsion,  and  failing  of  both,  resigned. 

The  Chicago  Times-Herald  published  the  following: 

"Nothing  could  be  more  significant  of  the  situation  in 
the  Philippines  than  the  Manila  dispatch  which  details 
a  recent  interview  with  Archbishop  Dozal,  the  head  of 
the  Catholic  church  in  those  islands.  It  shows  how  com- 
pletely the  Spanish  Catholics  themselves  have  despaired 
of  ever  again  holding  the  natives  under  their  control. 
Archbishop  Dozal  expresses  the  earnest  hope  that  the 


256       THE  TRUTH   ABOUT   THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Philippines  will  not  be  given  back  to  Spain,  'because 
the  rebels  are  now  so  strong  that  such  a  course  would 
inevitably  cause  appalling  bloodshed.'  He  also  hopes 
that  the  islands  will  not  be  left  to  the  rule  of  the  insur- 
gents, as  such  a  course  would  end  in  'incessant  strife 
and  a  lapse  into  barbarism.'  He  says  the  only  security 
for  the  islands  now  lies  in  'the  intervention  of  some 
strong  western  power.' 

"As  there  is  no  western  power  concerned  in  this  matter 
except  the  United  States,  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  Arch- 
bishop Dozal  means  this  as  an  appeal  for  America  to 
hold  the  Philippines.  This  is  the  same  Archbishop  who 
in  last  May  wrote  the  famous  pastoral  letter  in  which 
he  denounced  the  Americans,  and  incidentally  the  Brit- 
ish, as  being  heretical  scum,  thieves,  assassins,  and  as- 
sailants of  women.  At  that  moment  the  consuls  of  these 
''thieves"  were  holding  in  trust  and  protecting  for  him 
over  $50,000,000  worth  of  church  property.  He  has  now 
evidently  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Americans  are 
about  the  best  protectors  his  church  can  have  for  pre- 
serving it  from  the  loss  of  all  its  property  as  well  as  its 
power.  He  says  it  is  undeniable  that  the  Catholic  re- 
ligious orders  must  go.  The  friars  have  so  shamefully 
abused  their  power  in  the  Philippines  that  the  whole 
populace  is  determined  to  abolish  them. 

"Archbishop  Dozal  is  aware  that  there  can  no'  longer 
be  any  connection  between  church  and  state  under  the 
Americans,  as  there  was  at  the  time  when  he  supple- 
mented Captain-General  Augusti's  bombastic  tirade  with 
one  of  his  own,  but  he  sees  that  it  is  better  to  accept 
reasonable  rights  under  a  just  rule  than  to  sufifer  the 
total  loss  that  has  deservedly  come  upon  the  church 
through  the  greed  of  the  Dominicans,  Franciscans,  and 
other  religious  orders.  It  is  evident  that  the  friars  had 
got  pretty  well  beyond  the  control  of  the  Archbishop, 
and  that  he  is  willing  to  see  them  go  by  the  board,  as 
they  deserve,  provided  he  can  strengthen  himself.  His 
desire  for  American  rule  need  not  be  regarded  as  any- 
thing more  than  an  expression  of  self-interest,  but  it  is 
just  here  that  its  significance  lies.  He  admits  that  Span- 
ish corruption,  coupled  with  the  tyranny  and  greed  of 


RETENTION  OF  FRIARS.  257 

the  friars,  has  defeated  itself  forever  in  the  PhiUppines." 

The  Times-Herald  of  Chicago  contains  the  following 

in  an  editorial  of  September  2^,  1898,  upon  these  points: 

"It  has  been  reported  that  the  hierarchy  would  send  a 
commission  to  the  islands  to  determine  upon  a  plan  for 
conforming  the  churches  to  the  new  conditions.  It  was 
also  reported  that  the  Spanish  bishops  and  priests  would 
be  supplanted  by  American  prelates  and  priests.    *    *    * 

'That  these  reports  are  erroneous  is  now  apparent 
from  the  statements  of  Archbishop  Ireland,  who  is  an 
acknowledged  authority  upon  all  questions  pertaining  to 
the  Pope's  plans  in  America.  The  Archbishop  declares 
that  no  American  commission  will  be  sent  to  the  islands, 
and  that  the  present  personnel  of  the  clergy  will  not  be 
disturbed.  *  *  *  Coming  from  so  high  an  authority 
as  Archbishop  Ireland,  the  matter  may  have  been  said 
to  have  been  Hfted  above  all  controversy." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE  RELEASE  OF  THE  FRIARS  DEMANDED  AND 
REFUSED. 

Notwithstanding  their  brutal  betrayal  at  Manila,  and 
the  tyrannical  usurpation  of  power  by  the  Washington 
government,  and  that  our  American  soldiers  "captured" 
such  trifles  as  pianos,  or  anything  else  portable  as  "sou- 
venirs," and  bought  or  appropriated  whatever  they 
wanted,  without  always  paying  for  it,  yet  at  this  time  the 
Filipinos  were  still  friendly. 

To  show  how  friendly  the  Filipinos  were,  notwith- 
standing they  were  being  forced  from  their  own  capital 
city,  Manila,  to  their  greatest  grievance,  General  E.  S. 
Otis  states  upon  page  10  of  his  official  report  of  August 
31,  1900,  o£  their  evacuation  of  Manila  as  follows: 

"The  withdrawal  was  effected  adroitly,  as  the  insurg- 


258      THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

ents  marched  out  in  excellent  spirits,  cheering  the  Amer- 
ican troops." 

Notwithstanding  constant  friction  from  causes  both 
avoidable  and  inevitable,  these  friendly  relations  remained 
unbroken  until,  as  General  Otis  states  upon  page  22  of 
this  report:  ''During  the  latter  part  of  October  instruc- 
tions were  received  from  Washington  directing  that  effort 
be  made  to  secure  the  release  of  members  of  the  Spanish 
clergy  and  religious  orders  who  were  held  by  the  insurg- 
ent government  as  prisoners  of  war." 

But  about  this  time,  as  can  be  seen  by  reference  to 
page  15  of  Senate  document,  No.  208,  of  the  56th  Con- 
gress, complaint  was  being  constantly  made  by  friends  of 
the  friars  or  Spanish  priests  as  to  the  treatment  of  prison- 
ers by  the  Filipinos. 

These  complaints  were  undoubtedly  caused  by  the 
guilty  consciences  of  the  complainants,  who  knew  very 
well  what  these  selfsame  friars  and  Spanish  prisoners 
deserved,  and  probably  feared  very  naturally  that  they 
would  receive  some  such  just  retribution. 

It  is  stated  that  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  cabled 
Admiral  Dewey,  about  August  i,  as  follows:  ''Re- 
ported here  that  monks  and  other  prisoners  in  the  hands 
of  the  insurgents  at  Cavite  are  in  danger  of  being  un- 
justly put  to  death." 

Then  also  that  on  August  9,  the  Assistant  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  cabled  to  Admiral  Dewey  again : 

"At  the  instance  of  the  French  ambassador,  informa- 
tion concerning  treatment  of  Spanish  prisoners  by  insur- 
gents is  requested." 

Then  it  was  that  Admiral  Dewey  replied: 

"Referring  to  your  telegram  of  August  29,  from  my 
observation  and  that  of  my  officers,  the  Spanish  prisoners 
are  not  treated  cruelly  by  the  insurgents,  but  they  are 


RELEASE  OF  FRIARS  REFUSED.  259 

neglected,  not  from  design,  but  owing  to  want  of  proper 
food  supply,  medical  outfit,  and  attendance." 

From  page  22  of  General  Otis'  official  report  we  quote 
the  following  to  be  found  in  a  letter  from  him  to  Aguin- 
aldo:  "I  believe  that  a  vast  majority  of  the  reports  of 
great  cruelty  and  barbarous  treatment  practiced  by  the 
Filipinos  toward  these  individuals  which  have  been  put 
in  general  circulation  are  untrue." 

Upon  page  500  of  Senate  document.  No.  62,  of  the 
55th  Congress,  is  Gen.  Charles  A.  Whittier's  evidence 
upon  this  point  before  the  Paris  Peace  Commissioners 
as  follows: 

'Their  conduct  to  their  Spanish  prisoners  has  been 
deserving  of  the  praise  of  the  whole  world.  With  hatred 
of  priests  and  Spaniards,  fairly  held  on  account  of  the 
conditions  before  narrated,  and  with  every  justification  to 
a  savage  mind  for  the  most  brutal  revenge,  I  have  heard 
no  instance  of  torture,  murder,  or  brutality  since  we  have 
been  in  the  country." 

Yet  to  use  the  current  expression  at  that  time — ''the 
wires  were  kept  hot  between  Rome  and  Washing- 
ton," with  all  kinds  of  false  rumors  of  cruelty  and  out- 
rages said  to  be  perpetrated  upon"  the  captive  friars  by 
the  Filipinos  in  spite  of  full  official  denials. 

Archbishop  Chappelle  gave  out  the  following  in  his 
answer  to  General  Funston  under  date  of  Washington, 
D.  C,  October  23,  1899:  "Every  priest  (with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  few  natives)  in  the  island  of  Luzon,  outside  the 
walled  city  of  Manila,  is  a  prisoner  of  the  insurgents. 
For  the  last  eighteen  months  this  state  of  affairs  has  ex- 
isted, and  during  all  this  period  more  than  350  friars 
have  been  undergoing  unheard  of  tortures  in  insurgent 
dungeons." 

He  told  the  truth  if  he  intended  to  say  that  the  tortures 
had  not  been  heard  of,  for  they  had  not,  except  in  the 
falsehoods  circulated  by  those  friends  of  the  friars,  who 


26o       THE  TRUTH   ABOUT   THE  PHILIPPINES. 

sympathize  with  them  in  all  their  villainy,  robbery  and 
oppression  of  the  people. 

But  through  these  people,  the  real  trouble  began,  as 
can  be  seen  from  the  following  quotation  from  the  22nd 
page  of  General  Otis'  report,  wherein  he  states  that — 
"During  the  latter  part  of  October  (1898),  instructions 
were  received  from  Washington  directing  that  effort  be 
made  to  secure  the  release  of  members  of  the  Spanish 
clergy  and  religious  orders,  who  were  held  by  the  in- 
surgent government  as  prisoners  of  war."  In  a  letter 
of  November  2,  1898,  General  Otis  wrote  to  Aguinaldo 
as  follows  (see  page  22  of  his  official  report)^ 

''Office  U.  S.  Military  Governor  in  the  Philippine  Islands. 

''Manila,  P.  I.,  November  2,  1898. 
"Gen.  Emilio  Aguinaldo. 

"Commanding  Philippine  Revolutionary  Forces,  Mal- 
olos,  P.  I. 

"General :  By  direction  of  my  government,  I  have  the 
honor  to  present  for  your  distinguished  consideration  a 
subject  which  is  causing  much  comment  and  a  great  deal 
of  severe  criticism  of  the  Filipino  people  throughout 
Europe  and  among  the  very  large  class  of  Catholic  citi- 
zens of  my  own  country,  and  that  is,  the  retention  as 
prisoners  of  war  of  the  Spanish  Catholic  clergy  and 
nuns.  I  believe  that  a  vast  majority  of  the  reports  of 
great  cruelty  and  barbarous  treatment  practiced  by  the 
Filipinos  toward  these  individuals  which  have  been  put 
in  general  circulation  are  untrue.  Indeed,  I  have  for- 
bidden cablegrams  prepared  on  this  subject,  which  I 
had  good  reason  to  suppose  could  not  be  substantiated, 
to  be  sent  to  other  countries,  and  I  have  informed  the 
United  States  authorities  that  many  rumors  of  this  na- 
ture in  circulation  throughout  the  civilized  world  were 
greatly  exaggerated.  Still,  however,  the  facts  stand  out 
pre-eminently  that  these  individuals  have  suffered  pri- 
vations and  hardships  and  are  still  held  in  captivity,  and 
fabrications  charging  most  cruel  and  inhuman  treatment, 
resulting  in  loss  of  life,  will  continue  to  be  spread  abroad 


RELEASE  OF  FRIARS  REFUSED.  261 

to  the  great  detriment  of  the  interest  and  welfare  of  the 
FiHpino  people.  I  do  not  consider  that  I  sacrificed  in 
any  particular  the  confidence  reposed  in  me  by  my  gov- 
ernment in  communicating  to  you  that  it  has  been  re- 
quested by  the  Vatican  at  Rome  and  by  many  distin- 
guished men  high  in  the  councils  of  nations,  to  employ 
its  good  offices  in  efforts  to  secure  the  liberty  of 
the  Spanish  clergy,  and  of  all  individuals  connected 
with  religious  orders  now  held  in  durance,  *  *  * 
among  whom  are  especially  mentioned  the  Bishops 
of  New  Segovia  and  the  nuns  in  the  northwestern  part 
of  the  Island  of  Luzon.  It  is,  of  course,  needless  for  me 
to  present  to  you  or  your  able  counselors  by  whom  you 
are  surrounded,  and,  indeed,  it  may  be  considered  a 
presumption  on  my  part  to  invite  your  attention  to  the 
fact  that  this  clergy,  and,  indeed,  the  civil  functionaries  of 
the  Spanish  Government,  cannot  under  a  strict  interpre- 
tation of  the  rules  of  international  law  be  deemed  prison- 
ers of  war  except  in  certain  very  aggravated  cases.  It 
would  require  most  decided  action  on  the  part  of  mem- 
bers of  religious  orders  to  place  them  in  that  category, 
and  the  seizure  and  retention  of  nuns  or  interference 
with  them  in  the  practice  of  "what  they  consider  their 
duties  under  their  sacred  religious  vows  is  invariably 
looked  upon  with  marked  disfavor  by  all  nations  claim- 
ing to  practice  civilized  warfare.  All  this  is  well  known 
to  you,  and  I  only  allude  to  it,  to  account,  in  a  meas- 
ure, for  the  erroneous  impressions  which  publicly  pre- 
vail regarding  the  humane  sentiments  and  good  inten- 
tions cherished  by  the  Filipinos,  and  which  are  so  damag- 
ing to  them  in  securing  a  position  as  a  people  which 
they  seek  to  invoke.  You  will  please  pardon  me  for  this 
allusion,  but  the  matter  is  so  important  to  the  best  inter- 
ests of  the  Filipinos,  that  I  have  taken  the  liberty,  unin- 
vited, to  present  it. 

"Confident  that  you  seek  the  welfare  of  your  people, 
may  I  in  that  confidence  ask  you  to  use  your  conceded  in- 
fluence to  correct  this  condition  of  affairs  and  to  act  with 
me  in  efforts  to  place  these  prisoners  in  a  position  which 


262       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

will  put  an  end  to  the  acrimonious  criticisms  which  now 
so  widely  prevail?" 

In  this  instance  General  Otis  seems  to  have  been  act- 
ing both  as  an  advocate  for  Spanish  friars,  and  as  an 
adviser  to  the  Filipinos  to  prove  themselves  fit  for  inde- 
pendence. Then  he  adds:  "I  would  be  pleased  to  re- 
ceive them  here  at  Manila  and  care  for  them  while  they 
make  preparations  to  leave  the  country,  as  I  am  informed 
many  of  them  desire  to  do.  *  *  *  Any  traveling  ex- 
pense or  cost  of  food  required  to  efifect  their  removal 
to  this  point  I  would  be  glad  to  meet  should  you  desire  it. 

"E.  S.  Otis, 
'^Major-General  U.  S.  V., 
"United  States  Military  Governor  in  the  Philippines." 

The  very  next  day  Aguinaldo  replied  as  promptly  as 
possible  to  the  foregoing  demand  as  follows : 

We  quote  from  the  2nd  and  3d  columns  of  the  2nd 
page  of  the  Manila  Times  of  Wednesday,  November  i6th, 
1898.  The  publication  was  permitted  under  the  censor- 
ship.   It  is  as  clear  and  concise  as  could  be  made. 

''Some  ten  days  ago  Major-General  E.  S.  Otis  sent  a 
communication  to  Emilio  Aguinaldo  upon  the  subject 
of  the  Spanish  prisoners  in  the  hands  of  the  insurgents. 
The  following  is  a  literal  translation  of  the  reply  writ- 
ten by  Aguinaldo  and  published  in  La  Independencia,  the 
official  organ  of  the  Filipino  Republic: 

'Malolos,  November  3d,  1898. 
To  Major-General  E.  S.  Otis,  Commander-in-Chief  of 

the  American  Army  of  occupation  in  Manila: 

'General:  I  have  the  pleasure  to  acknowledge  receipt 
of  your  favor  of  yesterday's  date,  and  I  beg  to  say  that 
your  remarks,  far  from  being  displeasing  to  me,  will, 
on  the  other  hand,  be  most  useful  to  me,  as  anything 
that  comes  from  one  in  your  position  and  dictated  by 
the  spirit  bred  in  a  free  country  cannot  fail  to  be. 

T  must  also  bring  to  your  notice  the  fact  that  we»do 
not  make  prisoners  of  women  and  children,  much  less 
of  (Sisters  of  Mercy)  nuns.    If  among  our  prisoners  there 


RELEASE  OF  FRIARS  REFUSED.  263 

are  women  or  children  they  are  there  of  their  own  will 
and  because  they  are  of  the  family  of  a  prisoner  and 
prefer  to  be  with  him.  We  are  obhged  to  support  such 
women  and  children  at  the  cost  of  the  Philippine  treas- 
ury. This  detail  has  not  been  provided  for  in  interna- 
tional rules  of  war,  but  we  do  it  from  humanitarian  mo- 
tives. 

T  am  pleased  to  note  you  state  that  Spanish  clericals 
and  Spanish  civil  functionaries  cannot  be  made  prisoners 
of  war  under  international  law.  Before  answering  this 
point  permit  me  to  observe  that  we  have  not  made  pris- 
oners of  any  priests,  except  those  pertaining  to  the  regu- 
lar Spanish  clergy,  and  not  of  those  who  are  simply 
preachers;  and  please  let  me  explain  this  point,  so  that 
you  may  better  understand  what  I  mean  and  that  a  mis- 
taken impression  of  it  may  not  get  abroad. 

Tt  is  true  that  international  laws  declare  in  a  general 
way  that  clerical  and  civil  functionaries  may  not  be  made 
prisoners  of  war,  but  the  spirit  of  these  same  laws  ex- 
cludes religious  sacerdots  and  Spanish  civil  functionaries 
in  the  Philippines  because  they  are  only  so  in  name. 

To  begin  with  Spanish  civil  functionaries.  Permit  me 
to  point  out  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  between 
America  and  Spain,  General  Augustin  obliged  them  to 
carry  arms,  without  distinction  of  class,  and  even  before 
that,  during  the  Philippine  revolution,  the  Spanish  civil 
functionaries  formed  armed  volunteer  corps,  which,  even 
allowing  that  they  never  took  the  field,  helped  the  regu- 
lars in  imprisoning,  shooting  and  submitting  to  inhuman 
tortures  peaceful  and  defenseless  natives.  More,  I  must 
inform  you  that  even  now  in  the  Spanish  penitentiaries 
and  penal  establishments  hundreds  of  imprisoned  and 
deported  Filipinos  are  languishing,  torn  from  their 
hearths  and  homes,  on  account  of  the  suspicions  of  the 
old  Spanish  Government  and  to  satisfy  the  wicked  desires 
of  the  religious  sacerdots — so-called  "Ministers  of 
Peace." 

'As  regards  the  clericals,  that  is,  the  Spanish  religious 


264       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

sacerdots,  allow  me  to  put  before  you  the  following  for 
your  consideration: 

'First — The  religious  corporations  in  the  Philippines 
have  obtained  large  agricultural  estates  by  pure  cheat- 
ing. In  the  old  days  the  Filipinos,  carried  away  by  re- 
ligious fervor,  presented  a  portion  of  the  produce  from 
their  land  to  the  priests  for  their  maintenance,  but  as 
time  went  on  the  successors  of  those  who  were  main- 
tained by  the  free  gifts  of  the  natives  gradually  made 
the  contributions  of  these  obligatory,  taking  possession 
of  their  lands  to  make  sure  of  payment,  and  turning  the 
lawful  proprietors  into  tenants  of  theirs,  the  natives  being 
afraid  to  rebel  against  the  imposition  for  fear  of  the  Span- 
ish authorities,  whom  the  priests  had  taken  care  to 
suborn  by  bribes. 

'Second — According  to  the  canonical  laws  of  the 
Roman  church,  religious  sacerdots  cannot  undertake 
the  cure  of  souls,  which  is  reserved  solely  for  the  secular 
clergy,  to  which  the  Philippine  sacerdots  belong.  In 
spite  of  this,  the  Spanish  priests,  in  order  that  they  might 
hold  benefices,  such  as  positions  of  parish  cures,  have 
gone  on  cheating  the  Vatican  and  foreign  public  opinion, 
painting  these  towns  and  parishes  as  filled  with  sav- 
ages, who  were  only  managed  and  kept  in  check  by  the 
constant  care  and  missionary  efforts  of  the  priests,  or 
they  would  at  once  return  to  their  ancient  systems  of 
idolatry.  The  Philippine  sacerdots,  who  have  tried  to  cor- 
rect this  false  impression  in  the  Vatican  and  in  foreign 
public  opinion,  have  been  sacrificed  under  the  name  of 
disturbers  of  the  peace. 

Third — These  same  priests  tried  to  cheat  the  Spanish 
Government,  making  it  believe  they  were  absolutely 
necessary  for  the  continuance  of  Spanish  sovereignty  in 
the  Philippines,  and  even  though  in  the  end  the  Span- 
ish authorities  saw  through  their  game,  they  shut  their 
eyes  to  the  truth.  The  gold  supplied  by  the  rich  Span- 
ish corporations  made  them  see  as  the  priests  saw. 
Thus  the  priests,  having  usurped  the  position  of  those 
who  are  alone  supposed  to  be  able  to  cure  souls,  be- 
came absolute  masters  of  the  natives  for  a  long  time;  they 


.RELEASE  OF  FRIARS  REFUSED.  265 

had  in  their  hands  the  Hves,  goods  and  honor  of  the 
FiHpinos,  and  could  and  did  do  what  they  Uked  with 
all  three.  This  is  public  and  notorious,  and  all  foreign- 
ers who  know  and  have  -seen  and  studied  Philippine  mat- 
ters, unanimously  agree  that  this  is  true,  and  that  the 
religious  corporations  have  taken  advantage  of  the  rot- 
ten state  of  the  Spanish  Government  and  shut  up  every 
path  to  the  progress  and  liberty  of  the  natives. 

'Having  pointed  out  these  facts  to  you,  General,  you 
will  understand  that,  given  the  influence  and  the  large 
interests  that  the  religious  corporations  have  in  the  Phil- 
ippines, it  would  be  neither  just  nor  politic  to  set  these 
priests  at  liberty.  The  archbishop,  as  much  as  the  bish- 
ops, belongs -to  the  regular  Spanish  clerics,  and  it  is  not 
right  that  they  go  on  exercising  the  predominant  power 
in  the  islands — because  they  might  get  up  a  counter- 
revolution by  the  aid  of  their  gold  and  the  fanaticism 
of  some  Filipinos  who  still  believe  that  they  are  inspired. 
When  the  native  sacerdots,  unjustly  thrown  to  one  side 
by  the  Vatican,  have  obtained  their  rights  and  can  be- 
come bishops  and  village  cures,  then  there  will  be  no 
danger  to  the  public  peace  in  setting  the  Spanish  priests 
at  liberty.  The  .Spanish  Government  and  the  Vatican 
have  shown  that  they  do  not  acknowledge  right  and 
justice  when  their  interests  are  at  stake,  and  on  that  ac- 
count the  Filipinos  wish  to  keep  hold  of  the  Spanish 
civil  functionaries  as  hostages  for  the  liberty  of  the  Fili- 
pinos who  are  banished  and  imprisoned,  and  the  priests 
for  the  purpose  of  making  the  Vatican  acknowledge  the 
rights  of  the  Philippine  clergy. 

'And  as  the  representative  of  the  United  States  in 
these  islands,  I  pray  you,  General,  to  make  it  known  that 
it  is  not  hatred  nor  vengeance  which  makes  the  Filipinos 
keep  the  civil  authorities  and  the  priests  prisoners,  but 
the  pubUc  interest  and  the  public  peace  make  it  neces- 
sary to  do  so.  International  laws  must  give  way  when 
they  encounter  the  just  claims  of  a  country  of  millions  of 
souls,  because  this  cause  is  the  cause  of  humanity,  of  civ- 
ilization and  progress.  My  people  demand  this  measure 
and  I  must  give  them  their  will  (wish). 


266       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

'If  you,  General,  can  manage  to  put  these  feelings  of 
my  people  before  your  government,  and  the  foreign  pub- 
lic opinion,  and  to  counteract  the  erroneous  opinion 
formed  for  want  of  a  true  knowledge  of  the  situation, 
you  will  gain  the  gratitude  of  the  Philippine  people  and 
of  the  civilized  world.  I  am  sir. 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

Emilio  Aguinaldo. 

Translations  of  the  foregoing  letter  from  General  Otis 
to  Aguinaldo  and  his  answer  thereto  are  also  to  be  found 
upon  pages  41,  42,  43  and  44  of  Senate  Document  No. 
208  of  the  56th  Congress,  as  well  as  pages  22,  23  and 
24  of  General  Otis'  official  report  of  August  31,  1899. 

In  reply  to  Aguinaldo's  letter  of  November  3d,  1898, 
declining  to  release  Spanish  monks  and  civil  officials 
held  as  prisoners.  General  Otis  wrote  a  letter  to  be  found 
upon  pages  44,  45  and  46  of  Senate  Document  No.  208, 
and  pages  24,  25  and  26  of  his  official  report  of  August 
31st,  1899,  in  part  as  follows: 

''Office  United  States  Military  Governor 

In  the  Philippine  Islands. 
Manila,  P.  I.,  November  loth,  1898. 

"General  Emilio  Aguinaldo,  commanding  Philippine 
Revolutionary  Force,  Malolos,  P.  I. 

"General — I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  cordial  communication  of  the  3d  instant,  for 
which  permit  me  to  thank  you.*  *  *  f  highly  appre- 
ciate your  expressed  desire  to  act  for  the  public  interest, 
the  peace  of  the  Filipinos,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
dictates  of  humanity,  but  you  will  pardon  my  candid 
confession  that  I  am  unable  to  comprehend  the  force  of 
your  remark  to  the  effect  that  international  law  must 
give  way  before  the  just  cause  of  a  country  of  millions 
of  souls  because  it  is  one  of  humanity.  I  fail  to  under- 
stand how  the  principles  of  that  law  can  be  antagonistic 
in  any  particular  to  the  welfare  of  a  people,  founded,  as 
they  are,  on  the  best  interpretation  of  the  law  of  nature 
iwhich  the  acknowledged  wisdom  of  ages  of  human  prog- 


RELEASE  OF  FRIARS  REFUSED.  267 

ress  has  been  able  to  bestow.  Every  independent  nation 
claiming  advanced  enlightenment  professes  to  be  bound 
by  these  obligations  of  that  law  and  certainly  would  be 
held  responsible  by  the  civilized  world  should  it  openly 
violate  them.     *     *     * 

*'As  regards  the  members  of  the  Spanish  clergy,  I  un- 
derstand you  to  state  in  substance,  that  they  are  held  as 
prisoners  of  war  on  account  of  the  grave  offenses  com- 
mitted by  them  while  Luzon  was  under  the  practical 
domination  of  Spain;  that  they  were  the  primary  and 
principal  cause  of  the  revolution  which  has  been  in 
progress  for  the  past  two  years;  that  it  is  not  prudent 
to  set  them  at  liberty,  as  they  are  disposed  and  might 
be  able,  if  released,  to  incite  a  counter  revolution  in  Span- 
ish interests,  and  that  they  are  retained  in  prison  not  only 
for  such  reasons,  but  also  to  compel  the  Vatican  to  rec- 
ognize the  conceded  rights  of  the  Filipino  clergy  which 
has  hitherto  been  denied  it.     *     *     * 

''I  do  not  think  that  the  views  you  advance  would  re- 
ceive favorable  general  acceptance,  and  believe  there- 
fore, in  all  sincerity,  that  the  good  name,  reputation,  and 
welfare  of  that  people  would  be  greatly  enhanced  by  re- 
lieving those  men  from  the  captivity  which  they  have  so 
long  endured. 

**I  can  only  ask  in  conclusion  that  the  wishes  of  my 
Government  may  receive  more  favorable  consideration 
than  your  most  friendly  letter  indicates. 

"I  am.  General,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  serv- 
ant, **E.  S.  Otis, 

''Major-General  U.  S.  V., 
''United  States  Military  Governor  in  the  Philippines." 

As  this  ends  this  correspondence  upon  the  part  of 
General  Otis  it  is  very  evident  that  he  found  the  position 
he  had  taken  to  be  utterly  untenable. 

In  reply  to  the  letter  of  General  Otis,  Aguinaldo  wrote 
on  November  i8th  a  letter  to  be  found  upon  pages  46,  47, 
48  and  49  of  Senate  Document  No.  208  and  pages  26,  27 
and  28  of  General  Otis'  official  record  in  part  as  follows: 


268       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

*'I  have  already  said  in  my  last  letter  that  the  decree  of 
General  Augustin  of  the  23rd  of  last  April  obliged  not 
only  the  employes  of  the  state  and  municipality  to  take 
up  arms,  but  also  the  Spaniards  born  here,  and  that  in 
the  first  epoch  of  the  Filipino  revolution  they  formed 
armed  volunteer  corps  which,  while  guarding  the  towns, 
made  arrests,  tortured  the  prisoners,  executed  defense- 
less citizens,  or  joined  the  regular  soldiers  to  fight  against 
the  revolutionists. 

"General,  read  carefully  the  local  papers  from  the  time 
the  revolution  began  and  you  will  see  there  the  proof 
of  what  I  say.  The  pages  of  said  papers  are  indispu- 
table evidence  of  the  military  services  rendered  by  the 
civil  employees  of  the  Spanish  Government  and  the  com- 
pensation received  by  them  as  premiums  for  their  serv- 
ices. With  these  antecedents  is  there  room  for  the  least 
argument  that  the  Spanish  civil  employes  should  not  be 
held  as  prisoners? 

'The  same,  if  not  worse,  can  be  said  of  the  priests.  The 
latter,  degrading  their  office,  transformed  from  servants 
of  the  Lord  to  feudal  lords  and  supported  by  the  Span- 
ish Government,  were  absolute  masters  of  the  lives,  lands 
and  honor  of  the  Filipinos. 

*Tt  seems  incredible  that  those  who  should  raise  their 
prayers  to  stop  so  much  cruelty  and  infamy  committed 
by  the  Spanish  Government,  those  who  should  give 
themselves  over  to  reclusion  and  mortification  and  pen- 
ance for  such  crime,  were  precisely  those  who  took  part 
in  the  affairs,  and  with  base  insinuations,  with  infamous 
accusations  and  ideas  of  vengeance,  increased  more  and 
more  the  pyre  of  the  dead,  and  the  defamatory  charges 
through  which  were  sacrificed  precious  and  innocent 
lives  and  the  honor  of  many  citizens. 

"Again,  vengeance  does  not  move  me  in  treating  these 
ecclesiastics  as  prisoners  of  war.  I  conform  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  international  law  advanced  by  yourself,  for, 
apart  from  the  abuses  committed  by  the  priests,  to  which 
I  have  referred  in  my  last  letter,  and  the  facts  that  I 
add  in  my  present  one,  you  are  informed  that  they  have 
taken  up  arms  against  the  revolution;  as,  for  example, 


RELEASE  OF  FRIARS  REFUSED.  269 

the  priests  (parocos),  of  the  town  of  Lipa,  province  of 
Batanzas,  who  made  themselves  leaders  of  volunteer 
corps.  In  Manila  during  the  siege  of  the  town  by 
your  forces,  all  the  ecclesiastics,  organized  and  uniformed, 
formed  a  part  of  the  municipal  armed  guard,  and  all 
of  them  you  may  be  sure  have  lent  their  directive  and  ef- 
fective co-operation  to  the  forces  that  fought  against 
the  Filipinos,  not  only  maintaining  at  their  expense 
armed  bodies,  but  accompanying  them  in  their  expe- 
ditions as  well  as  inciting  them  to  battle. 

*The  convents  have  been  the  most  impregnable  de- 
fences where  the  Spanish  combatants,  together  with  the 
priests,  shielded  themselves  in  order  to  attack  the  revo- 
lutionists, and  this  government  preserves  quite  a  num- 
ber of  muskets  taken  from  the  ecclesiastics." 

Archbishop  Nozaleda's  "pastoral"  calling  upon  all 
classes  of  the  people  of  the  Philippines  to  "rise  and  kill 
the  American  heretics,"  told  the  tale. 

"The  principles  of  international  law  sustained  by  the 
most  noted  authors  were  taken  into  account  by  me 
when  I  treated  as  prisoners  of  war  civil  employes  and 
the  priests.  Jiore,  Martens,  Bluntschli,  and  others  hold 
that  all  persons,  though  not  forming  a  part  of  the  army, 
but  who  follow  it  to  perform  their  pacific  functions,  can 
be  held  as  prisoners  of  war.  I  only  exempt  the  hospital 
personnel,  according  to  the  Geneva  convention,  provided 
that  they  take  no  active  part  in  the  war.     *     *     * 

'Tn  virtue  of  the  right  of  retort,  during  the  war  of  North 
American  independence,  the  great  Washington,  to 
avenge  the  shooting  of  an  American  colonel,  a  prisoner 
in  the  hands  of  the  English,  deemed  beyond  the  rules 
of  war  the  English  Colonel  Argyll,  a  prisoner  held  by 
the  Americans.  Thanks  to  the  intervention  of  the  Queen 
of  France,  the  order  was  not  executed.  In  virtue  of 
the  same  right,  the  German  generals  in  the  war  of  1870 
ordered  the  houses  in  which  their  soldiers  had  been 
treacherously  attacked  to  be  fired  and  destroyed." 

This  letter  shows  how  carefully  they  had  studied  Amer- 


270       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

ican  and  European  history  among  the  Filipinos  for  pre- 
cedents and  examples. 

It  also  shows  an  ability  in  logical  argument  and 
reasoning  well  worthy  of  the  utmost  respect  from  all 
intelligent  people.    It  ends  as  courteously  as  it  could: 

''I  close  this  letter,  begging  you  to  pardon  the  trouble 
that  its  perusal   will  cause  you. 

'1  remain,  your  most  respectful  servant, 

''Emilio  Aguinaldo." 

Following  this  letter,  on  the  28th  page  of  General  Otis' 
report,  and  the  49th  page  of  Senate  Document  No.  208  of 
the  56th  Congress,  is  this  statement: 

*'An  answer  was  drafted  in  part,  but  never  delivered. 
It  recited  the  fact  that  the  discussion  of  the  subject  had 
reached  proportions  never  contemplated;  that  I  was  not 
authorized  to  intercede  for  the  release  of  the  civil  offi- 
cials, and  that  my  requests  had  been  limited  to  priests 
or  ministers  of  religious  bodies,"  etc.  On  page  29  of  his 
official  report  General  Otis  states:  "I  had  been  reliably 
informed  that  Aguinaldo  contemplated,  or  had  prom- 
ised influential  Filipinos  to  release  the  minor  civil 
officials,  but  that  the  temper  of  the  people  was  such  that 
he  could  not  let  go  the  members  of  the  religious  orders 
held  in  captivity."  He  did  let  the  other  ^prisoners  free 
as  promised,  a  little  later,  as  reported. 

Upon  pages  321  and  322  of  Senate  Document  No.  62 
is  a  letter  from  Consul  Williams  to  Mr.  Cridler  of  the 
State  Department  at  Washington,  dated  Manila,  P.  I., 
March  27th,  1898,  in  which  he  writes  in  part  thus: 

"Barbarities  are  reported  as  daily  practiced,  such  as 
placing  prisoners  and  suspects  in  black  hole  dungeons 
in  the  walls  of  old  Manila,  so  placed  that  with  rise  of  tide 
prisoners  are  drowned,  several  hundred  reported  to  have 
so  perished.  Cruelties  too  horrid  for  an  official  report 
are  detailed  to  me  every  day,  and  it  seems  that  the  cry 
of  outraged  humanity  would  soon  compel  Spain  to  abol- 


SPANISH  ATROCITIES.  271 

ish  Middle  Age  methods  of  warfare.  Christian  nations 
are  such  only  in  name  when  such  atrocities  as  daily 
blacken  the  calendar  are  known  to  be  perpetrated  here  and 
no  effort  made  to  protect  the  weak.  There  is  to-day  no 
Christian  nation — policy  and  mock  diplomacy  govern 
all;  the  vilest  cruelties  of  war  are  added  to  the  man- 
gling of  old  men,  women  and  children  to  make  full  the 
measure  of  iniquity. 

"The  American  Indians  would  not  permit  one  of  their 
tribes  to  practice  such  barbarities.  Why  should  so-called 
Christian  nations  decline  to  call  a  halt  upon  Spanish 
outrages?  Oscar  F.  Williams, 

"United  States  Consul,  Manila." 

We  could  quote  many  more  official  letters  telling  of 
these  horrors,  but  we  believe  this  one  will  be  sufficient 
to  confirm  Aguinaldo's  statements  as  to  cruelties. 

An  Associated  Press  dispatch  dated  Washington,  Feb- 
ruary loth,  1899,  states  the  following  concerning  that 
matter : 

"From  letters  written  to  Major-General  Otis  by  Aguin- 
aldo,  obtained  to-day  from  Senor  Luna  of  the  Filipino 
junta  here,  and  a  brother  of  Aguinaldo's  minister  of 
war,  it  appears  that  General  Otis  threatened  Aguinaldo 
with  arrest  if  he  persisted  in  his  refusal  to  release  Span- 
ish civil  functionaries  and  monks  held  prisoners  by  the 
insurgents.  General  Otis  advised  Aguinaldo  to  surren- 
der these  people,  and  when  Aguinaldo  wrote  explaining 
his  reasons  for  holding  them,  General  Otis  made  a  strong 
request.  Aguinaldo  refused  to  comply  and  then  General 
Otis  made  the  demand  for  the  release  of  the  prisoners, 
and  threatened  to  arrest  Aguinaldo  if  he  refused." 

The  contest  in  this  case  reveals  the  Filipino  position 
clearly. 

On  page  29,  of  General  Otis'  official  report,  may  be 
found  a  reply  which  he  had  prepared  in  answer  to  Aguin- 
aldo's letter  of  November  i8th,  1898,  concerning  the 
holding  of  the  Spanish  priests  and  friars  as  prisoners  of 


2.^2       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

war,  in  which  General  Otis  stated  his  understanding  of 
the  facts  then  as  follows: 

'It  is  understood  to  be  the  desire  of  the  priests  to 
return  to  Spain  and  not  Hnger  in  the  islands  longer 
than  is  absolutely  necessary,  and  it  is  conceded,  I  pre- 
sume, that,  removed  from  the  country,  they  will  be  pow- 
erless to  aid  Spain  in  its  further  efiforts  to  crush  what  it 
is  pleased  to  denominate  a  powerful  rebellion." 

This  statement  shows  that  General  Otis  had  no  idea  at 
that  time  that  the  friars  were  to  remain  in  the  Philippines, 
but  on  the  contrary,  that  they  were  only  too  anxious  to  es- 
cape from  the  islands,  and  the  just  vengeance  of  outraged 
humanity  which  they  so  well  knew  they  merited. 

At  the  time  that  the  Peace  Commissioners  for  the 
Paris  Conference  were  being  selected  and  plans  therefor 
formulated;  Mr.  Murat  Halstead  was  visiting  Manila  and 
the  Philippines,  and  reporting  his  impressions  and  ex- 
periences through  the  public  press  in  letters  of  exceed- 
ing interest.    From  one  of  which  we  quote  the  following: 

'The  General's  house  was  about  as  solid  a  structure 
as  earthquakes  permit,  its  roof  of  red  tile  instead  of  the 
usual  straw.  His  rooms  were  in  the  second  story, 
reached  by  a  broad  stairway,  at  the  top  of  which  was  a 
landing  of  liberal  dimensions  and  an  ante-room.*  *  * 
We  were  soon  admitted  to  an  inner  room  with  a  win- 
dow opening  on  the  street,  and  were  told  that  the  Gen- 
eral would  see  us  directly.  Meanwhile  well-dressed 
ladies  of  the  General's  family  passed  through  the  audi- 
ence room  from  the  General's  personal  office  to  the  liv- 
ing rooms,  giving  a  pleasant  idea  of  domesticity.  The 
door  opened  and  a  very  slender  and  short  young  man 
entered  with  a  preoccupied  look  that  quickly  became 
alert.  An  attendant  said  in  a  low  voice,  'General  Aguin- 
aldo.'  He  was  unexpectedly  small — could  weigh  little 
over  lOO  pounds — was  dressed  in  pure  white  and  his 
modesty  of  bearing  would  have  become  a  maiden.  The 
first  feeling  was  one  of  compassion  that  one  with  such 


INTERVIEW  WITH  AGUINALDO.  273 

scant  physical  resources  should  have  to  bear  the  weighty 
responsibilities  resting  upon   him."     -i^     *     * 

"My  first  point  in  talking  with  Aguinaldo  was  that 
the  people  of  the  Philippines  ought  to  be  strongly  rep- 
resented in  Paris,  and  the  reasons  were  briefly  presented, 
the  foremost  being  that  they  sought  independence  and 
should  be  heard  before  the  commission,  by  which  their 
fate  would  be  declared  for  the  present,  so  far  as  it  could 
be,  by  a  tribunal  whose  work  was  subject  to  revision." 

"I  turned  the  conversation  at  this  point  to  the  main 
question  of  the  future  government  of  the  Philippines,  and 
inquired  what  would  be  satisfactory  to  the  General,  and 
got,  of  course,  the  answer,  Philippine  independence." 
'''  *  *  *'His  words  were  equivalent  to  saying,  his 
counselors  must,  in  all  matters  of  moment  be  consulted. 
It  came  to  the  same  thing  at  last  as  to  his  commissioner 
or  commissioners  to  Washington  and  Paris,  one  or  both, 
and  he  introduced  the  purpose  of  having  a  congress 
elected  to  assemble  at  a  railroad  town — Morales,  about 
fifty  miles  from  Manila."     h«     *     * 

"The  action  of  the  insurgents  in  removing  their  head- 
quarters, or  their  capital,  as  they  call  it,  to  a  point  forty 
miles  from  Manila  proves  that  they  have  come  to  an  un- 
derstanding that  the  soldiers  of  the  United  States  are  not 
in  the  Philippines  for  their  health  entirely,  or  purely  in 
the  interests  of  universal  benevolence."     *     *     * 

Lest  any  persons  may  be  deluding  themselves  with  the 
thought  that  the  trouble  between  the  friars  and  the  Fili- 
pinos as  led  by  the  Freemasons  from  the  first,  and  later 
on  by  their  fellow  fraternity,  the  Katipunans,  was  not 
well  known  to  our  government  at  Washington  at  the 
time  of  the  Paris  Peace  Commissions'  deliberations,  we 
will  quote  a  statement  made  before  that  time. 

Hon.  Murat  Halstead,  having  urged  Aguinaldo  to  send 
envoys    to    Paris    and    Washington,    to    represent    his 


274       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

people  there,  asked  him,  as  the  head  of  the  Filipino  gov- 
ernment, what  they  wanted  to  have  done  with  the  priests. 
Mr.  Halstead's  letter,  published  far  and  near  in  papers 
of  September  29,  1898,  contained  these  statements: 

'They  (meaning  Spanish  priests),  at  least,  have  no 
hope  of  security  if  the  Spaniards  should  regain  the  mas- 
tery of  the  islands." 

As  to  Aguinaldo's  reply  when  asked  what  the  fate 
of  the  priests  would  be  if  it  devolved  upon  the  Filipinos 
to  decide,  Mr.  Murat  Halstead  wrote  as  follows : 

"I  give  the  words  of  the  interpreter: 

"The  General  says  the  priests  to  whom  objection  is 
made,  and  with  whom  we  have  a  mortal  quarrel,  are  not 
our  own  priests,  but  the  Spaniards  and  those  of  the 
orders.  We  respect  the  Catholic  Church.  We  respect 
our  own  priests,  and,  if  they  are  friends  of  our  country, 
will  protect  them.  Our  war  is  not  upon  the  Catholic 
Church,  but  upon  the  friars,  who  have  been  the  most 
cruel  enemies.  We  cannot  have  them  here.  They  must 
go  away.  Let  them  go  to  Spain.  We  are  willing  that 
they  may  go  to  their  own  country.  We  do  not  want 
them.    There  is  no  peace  until  they  go." 

'T  said  that  my  information  was  that  the  objectionable 
orders  expressly  proscribed  by  the  insurgents  were  the 
Dominicans,  Augustines,  Franciscans  and  Recollects, 
but  that  the  Jesuits  were  not  included.  This  was  fully 
recited  to  the  General,  and  with  his  eyes  closing  and  his 
mouth  whispering  close  to  the  interpreter's  cheek  he  gave 
his  answer,  quickly  rendered: 

"  The  Jesuits,  too,  must  go.  They  also  are  our  ene- 
mies. We  do  not  want  them.  They  betray.  They  can 
go  to  Spain.  They  may  be  wanted  there,  not  here;  but 
not  here,  not  here.'  " 

In  the  same  article  Mr.  Halstead  stated:  'T  was  im- 
pressed that  the  eviction  or  extermination  of  the  Span- 
ish priests  was  one  of  the  inevitable  results  of  Philip- 
pine independence — the  first  thing  to  be  done."    And  he 


RELIGIOUS  ORDERS  MUST  GO.  275 

stated  also:  "Two  hundred  and  fifty  of  them  sought  in 
vain  to  get  passage  to  Hongkong  on  one  boat."  Show- 
ing how  well  aware  they  were  of  affairs.  American  inter- 
vention was  then  their  only  hope. 


CHAPTER   XXXVn. 

TREATY   OF  PEACE  AND  TITLE  TO   THE   PHILIP- 
PINES. 

Although,  as  advised  by  Americans,  among  whom 
were  Major-General  Wesley  Merritt,  at  the  time  our 
Commanding  General  or  Governor  General  of  the  Phil- 
ippines, and  Consul  Oscar  F.  WilHams,  the  only  rep- 
resentative of  the  United  States  civil  government  in  the 
Philippines,  Aguinaldo  sent  commissioners  both  to 
Washington  and  Paris  to  represent  the  Filipinos,  they 
were  ignominiously  ignored. 

No  grosser  violation  of  justice  could  be  imagined,  and 
Agoncillo  filed  a  protest  on  behalf  of  the  Filipino  people. 

They  were  at  once  notified  with  the  rest  of  the  world, 
upon  the  completion  of  the  treaty,  of  the  clause  requiring 
the  release  of  the  Spanish  friars,  as  follows : 
[By  the  Associated  Press.] 

"Paris,  Nov.  29. — As  the  result  of  the  work  of  Mr. 
Moore  and  Senor  Ojeda,  the  draft  of  the  articles  embody- 
ing the  protocol  agreements  was  completed  this  even- 
ing. It  will  be  presented  to  the  two  commissions  to- 
morrow, in  the  morning,  at  their  separate  sessions,  and 
in  the  afternoon  at  the  joint  session,  when  it  will  re- 
ceive final  consideration.  There  will  be  little  delay  on 
these  articles. 

"Mr.  Moore  will  also  submit  to-morrow  to  the  United 
States  commissioners  the  subjects  to  be  presented  to  the 
Spaniards  for  negotiations.  These,  for  convenience  and 
greater  dispatch,  are  being  drafted  into  the  form  of  arti- 
cles. 


276       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

'The  release  of  the  insurgent  prisoners  held  by  Spain 
will  go  into  the  protocol  agreements,  it  having  been  al- 
ready agreed  that  Spain  is  to  release  them  on  the  United 
States  undertaking  to  secure  the  release  of  the  Spanish 
prisoners  in  the  hands  of  Aguinaldo.  This  question  is 
so  intimately  related  to  the  peace  treaty  that  it  has  been 
removed' from  the  subjects  that  are  matters  of  negotiation 
and  has  been  embodied  in  the  articles  containing  the  pro- 
tocol agreements." 

That  clause  alone  would  have  forced  the  war  which 
followed. 

The  following  are  portions  of  a  few  of  the  articles 
in  this  "Treaty  of  Peace"  between  the  United  States  and 
Spain  referred  to: 

''Article  i.  Spain  relinquishes  all  claim  of  sovereign- 
ty over  and  title  to  Cuba."     *     *     * 

''Article  ,2.  Spain  cedes  to  the  United  States  the 
island  of  Porto  Rico  and  other  islands  now  under  Span- 
ish sovereignty  in  the  West  Indies,  and  the  island  of 
Guam,  in  the  Marianas  or  Ladrones." 

"Article  3.  Spain  cedes  to  the  United  States  the  arch- 
ipelago known  as  the  Philippine  Islands,"  etc. 

Article  6  forms  a  mutual  agreement  whereby  Spain 
and  the  United  States  are  to  release  all  prisoners  of  war 
taken  by  them,  or  in  the  hands  of  insurgents,  both  in 
Cuba  and  the  Philippines,  including,  of  course,  the  Span- 
ish friars  in  the  Philippines  held  by  the  Filipinos. 

Article  3  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace  concludes  with  this 
inexplicable  and  unwarranted  clause: 

"The  United  States  will  pay  to  Spain  the  sum  of  twen- 
ty million  dollars  ($20,000,000)  within  three  months  after 
the  exchange  of  the  ratification  of  the  present  treaty." 

Thus  the  victorious  country  appears  in -the  absurd  at- 
titude of  paying  an  indemity  to  the  vanquished,  which 
could  only  be  justified  upon  the  ground  of  some  acknowl- 


TITLE  TO  THE  PHILIPPINES.  ^"77 

edged  injustice  in  action,  but,  possibly,  as  an  explana- 
tion, which  does  not  explain  the  unexplainable,  we  find 
the  following  touching  on  this  point,  upon  page  210  of 
Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2: 

"The  American  Commissioners  are  authorized  to  oflfer 
to  Spain,  in  case  the  cession  should  be  agreed  to,  the  sum 
of  twenty  million  dollars  ($20,000,000),  to  be  paid  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  terms  to  be  fixed  in  the  treaty  of 
peace."    Was  it  a  bribe? 

So  we  appear  to  have  paid  Spain  $20,000,000  for  a 
title  to  a  land  which  she  did  not  possess,  and  could  not 
deliver,  her  only  claim  to  which  had  been  founded  upon 
bloody  conquest,  or  ''criminal  aggression"  according  to 
our  President,  already  cut  of¥  by  the  repossession  of  their 
own  land  by  the  Filipinos,  fighting,  as  the  Cubans  fought, 
the  same  foe,  for  the  same  reasons;  freedom  from  civil 
and  religious  tyranny ;  and  as  our  forefathers  fought  be- 
fore us  for  independence. 

In  other  words,  we  bought  no  better  title  to  the  Phil- 
ippines than  Spain  possessed,  that  of  ''criminal  aggres- 
sion," a  war  of  conquest,  "contrary  to  our  code  of 
morals,"  according  to  McKinley. 

The  title  to  the  Philippines  which  Spain  received  from 
the  Pope  was  as  baseless  as  would  be  such  a  title  to  the 
moon.  Aside  from  that  all  the  title  to  the  Philippines 
which  Spain  possessed,  at  any  time,  was  based  upon 
bloody  conquest  only,  or  to  use  the  apt  words  of  Presi- 
dent McKinley,  "forcible  annexation  that  cannot  be 
thought  of,"  "that  by  our  code  of  morals  would  be  crim- 
inal aggression." 

The  title  of  Spain  to  the  Philippines  had  been  forfeited 
by  the  same  sort  of  conquest,  or  claim,  to  the 
Crown  of  England,  in  1762,  and  the  nonpayment  of  the 
redemption  price,  or  promised  ransom,  of  $5,000,000,  for 


278       THE  TRUTH   ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

whatever  right,  title  or  interest  she  may  then  have  had 
in  them,  whether  real  or  imaginary,  by  such  right,  is  in 
reality  thus  vested  in  Great  Britain  still,  if  any  right  can 
accrue  from  such  ''criminal  aggression." 

As  the  Philippines  and  California  were  both  depend- 
encies of  Mexico,  and  as  the  title  to  California  was  lost 
to  the  Spanish  Crown  when  Mexico  freed  herself  from 
Spanish  oppression,  so  some  claim,  that  both  actually 
and  technically  the  legal  title  of  the  Crown  of  Spain 
to  Mexico,  California  and  the  Philippines  ceased  simul- 
taneously. 

Upon  pages  45  and  46  of  his  official  report  of  August 
31,  1899,  General  Otis  incorporated  a  letter  written  by 
him  on  October  31,  1898,  to  certain  foreign  merchants 
in  Manila  who  had  complained  of  the  interruptions  to 
trade  at  that  time. 

On  page  46  he  referred  to  the  Spanish  government 
in  the  central  Philippines  as  ''A  government  almost  in 
extremis  mortis  as  certainly  the  Spanish  Government 
in  the  central  Philippine  Islands  must  be  considered  to 
be  at  present."  Months  before  that,  as  already  quoted, 
according  to  General  Anderson,  ''We  held  Manila  and 
Cavite.  The  rest  of  the  island  was  held  not  by  Spaniards, 
but  by  Filipinos.  On  the  other  islands  the  Spaniards 
were  confined  to  two  or  three  fortified  towns.  At  the 
time  referred  to  we  had  no  claim  to  hold  by  purchase,  for 
we  had  not  then  received  Spain's  quit  claim  deed  to  the 
archipelago." 

So  whatever  so-called  right,  title  or  claim,  whether 
real  or  imaginary,  just  or  tmjust,  either  of  them  or  any 
others,  may  have  ever  held  in  the  past,  by  any  so-called 
right  of  conquest,  had  been  completely  abrogated  by  the 
subsequent  repossession  of  their  own  native  land  by  the 


TITLE  TO  THE  PHILIPPINES.  279 

Filipino  people  at  the  cost  of  priceless  blood,  untold 
agony,  and  countless  treasure. 

But  aside  from  or  in  addition  to  all  this  fallacy  of  title 
came  that  fatal  defect,  or  flaw,  or  error  as  any  one  may 
choose  to  call  it,  to  which  that  worthy  Spaniard  referred 
when  he  spurned  the  offer  of  $20,000,000  for  the  Philip- 
pines, which  was  really  a  mere  mask  for  robbery,  or  only 
an  apology  for  a  great  international,  if  not  illegal,  game 
of  hold-up,  with  this  ringing  and  deserved  rebuke: 

[By  the  Associated  Press,  Paris,  Nov.  22nd,  1898.] 

"Suppose,"  said  the  speaker  in  question,  "that  Spain 
says  to  the  United  States  we  are  exhausted.  We  have 
no  funds  with  which  to  continue  the  war.  We  do  not 
want  to  continue  it  and  we  cannot.  You  serve  us  with 
an  ultimatum.  We  must  submit  to  your  power.  Pre- 
pare your  treaty  and  when  you  want  us  to  sign  we  will 
sign.    We  must  bend  to  physical  force. 

"You  will  have  the  Antilles  and  you  will  possess  the 
Philippines  as  a  conquest  from  a  helpless  people.  We 
yield,  but  we  decline  $20,000,000  for  property  on  which 
our  valuation  was  not  asked  nor  respected.  You  have 
your  will.  We  trust  you  will  not  continue  the  war  upon 
our  helplessness  because,  forsooth,  we  decline  your  $20,- 
000,000.  Surely  this  waiver  by  us  of  your  money  will  not 
provoke  a  further  use  of  arms  against  Spain. 

"We  sign,  we  cede,  we  are  dumb.  It  is  finished  and 
we  may  be  permitted  to  retain  the  privilege  of  assuring 
our  people  and  our  national  creditors  that  we  at  least 
have  not  stolen  and  resold  territory  we  had  pawned." 

Had  we  been  half  as  frank,  as  we  were  unfair,  or  as 
honest  in  profession  as  we  were  dishonest  in  dealing,  it 
might  not  have  seemed  quite  as  disgusting  in  history 
as  our  cloak  of  "humanity" — with  which  we  tried  to 
cover  our  hypocrisy,  or  our  pretense  of  Good  Samaritan- 
ism  in  behalf  of  robber  politicians,  financiers  and  friars. 

When  we  proved  false  to  our  noble  professions  of  hu- 


28o      THE  TRUTH   ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

manity  or  philanthropy,  and  followed  the  lead  of  leech- 
ing friars  and  vampire  politicians,  turning  our  crusade 
for  freedom  in  Cuba  into  a  bloody  war  of  conquest  in 
the  Philippines,  we  fell  from  the  heights  of  a  heavenly 
mission  and  plunged  with  American  mercenaries  into 
the  depths  of  a  hellish  greed,  that  would  drag  any  na- 
tion, no  matter  how  noble  in  its  instincts  or  how  lofty 
its  intentions,  down  to  the  deepest  disgrace. 

Mr.  Lincoln  must  have  had  a  prophetic  vision  when 
he  spoke  the  following  words  in  Springfield,  HI.,  on  Feb- 
ruary 22,  i860: 

"He  is  a  great  friend  of  humanity,  and  his  desire  for 
land  is  not  selfish,  but  merely  an  impulse  to  extend  the 
area  of  freedom.  He  is  very  anxious  to  fight  for  the 
liberation  of  enslaved  nations  and  colonies,  provided  al- 
ways they  have  land,  and  have  not  liking  for  his  inter- 
ference. As  to  those  who  have  no  land  and  would  be 
glad  of  help  from  any  quarter,  he  considers  they  can 
afford  to  wait  a  few  hundred  years  longer.  He  knows 
all  that  can  possibly  be  known;  inclines  to  beUeve  in 
spiritual  rappings  (who  blames  Providence?)  and  is  the 
unquestioned  inventor  of  'Manifest  Destiny.'  ('Destiny 
determines  duty.')  His  horror  is  for  all  that  is  old,  par- 
ticularly 'Old  Fogy,'  and  if  there  be  anything  old  which 
he  can  endure  it  is  only  old  whisky  and  old  tobacco." 
— (Canteens  and  cigars.) 

Destiny  does  not  determine  duty,  as  Mr.  McKinley 
declares.  Duty  determines  destiny,  or  it  ought  to.  Do 
right  and  all  will  be  right.  Do  wrong  and  all  will  go 
wrong! 


AMERICAN  FRIENDSHIP  FOR  FRIARS.        281 

CHAPTER   XXXVIII. 

FILIPINOS   RESENT  AMERICAN   FRIENDSHIP  FOR 

FRIARS. 

General  E.  S.  Otis,  on  page  164  of  his  official  report 
as  United  States  Military  Governor  of  the  Philippines, 
dated  Manila,  August  31,  1899,  after  reviewing  the  op- 
erations in  those  islands  for  the  preceding  year,  in  sum- 
ming up  the  situation  near  the  close  of  this  document, 
declares : 

"The  disanected  element  of  the  population,  or  the 
emissaries  of  Aguinaldo's  government,  contend  that  the 
United  States  has  given  nothing  substantial  as  yet  in 
response  to  its  administrative  promises.  The  archbishop, 
they  declare,  still  holds  political  sway,  the  friars  have 
not  been  driven  out  nor  killed,  the  Spaniards  have  been 
continued  in  office,  the  chief  representative  of  United 
States  authority  here  (who  has  never  witnessed  Roman 
Catholic  ceremonies  a  dozen  times  in  his  life),  is  an 
ardent  Romanist  and  draws  inspirations  from  the  drop- 
pings of  the  Roman  Catholic  sanctuary,  as  set  up  in 
the  Philippines.  Remove  these  abominations,  they  say, 
and  we  will  willingly  accept  United  States  protection  and 
supremacy." 

This  is  the  testimony  of  our  first  Governor-General 
of  the  Philippines  after  the  Treaty  of  Peace  had  provided 
for  the  protection  of  the  friars  by  our  army  and  navy. 
This  official  statement  is  the  clue  to  the  situation  there. 

Upon  page  590  of  Senate  document  No.  62,  Mr.  Fore- 
man's statement  regarding  the  rebellion  of  1896  may  be 
found  as  follows:  'The  movement  had  for  its  object  (i) 
the  expulsion  of  the  monastic  orders;"  then  he  goes  on  to 
give  other  reasons  for  the  uprisings,  but  this  was  the 
first  and  foremost  reform  demanded,  the  national  issue. 
General  Otis'  official  report  confirms  Mr.  Foreman's 
evidence,  as  does  every  demand  made  by  the  Filipinos 
since  that  time. 


282       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

The  first  Philippine  issue  is  virtually  then,  whether 
the  Spanish  friars  should  return  to  Spain  with  the  other 
representatives  of  Spanish  oppression,  or  be  reinstated  by 
the  American  Government  against  the  will  of  the  Phil- 
ippine people  by  state  intervention  contrary  to  constitu- 
tional statutes.  The  first  amendment  to  the  Constitu- 
tion reads:  "Congress  shall  make  no  law  respecting  an 
establishment  of  religion,  or  prohibiting  the  free  ex- 
ercise thereof." 

Almost  the  entire  Catholic  population  of  the  Philip- 
pines have  protested  against  the  return  of  the  Spanish 
friars  to  their  former  parishes,  backed  by  American  bay- 
onets. 

To  show  how  the  Filipinos  feel  in  regard  to  the  atti- 
tude of  our  government  upon  this,  to  them,  all  impor- 
tant issue,  we  quote  the  following: 

"Copyright,  1899,  by  the  Chicago  Record. 

"Paris,  May  23. — A  Manila  correspondent  of  Le  Temps 
says  in  to-night's  issue:  "The  intimate  relations  be- 
tween Gen.  Otis  and  Archibshop  Nozaleda  are  in  the 
highest  degree  irritating  to  the  Filipinos,  who  believe 
that  this  means  that  if  the  Americans  triumph  the  relig- 
ious order  will  again  gain  a  foothold  in  the  archipelago. 
Spain  largely  owes  the  loss  of  the  Philippines  to  this 
prelate." 

"Copyright,  1898,  by  the  Chicago  Record. 

"Paris,  June  9. — I  have  already  called  attention  once  or 
twice  to  the  use  made  by  the  European  Filipinos  against 
the  Americans  of  the  pretended  good  relations  between 
the  United  States  and  the  religious  orders  in  the  Philip- 
pines.   Agoncillo,  who  is  still  in  Paris,  says  on  this  point : 

"A  campaign  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  in  favor 
of  so-called  religious  liberty  in  the  archipelago  is  as 
impolitic  as  it  is  fooHsh.  There  is  no  danger  on  this 
score.     We  simply  want  the  monks  to  pay  their  taxes 


AMERICAN  FRIENDSHIP  FOR  FRIARS.  283 

like  everybody  else.    We  struggled  against  Spain  for  the 
very  purpose  of  escaping  the  tyranny  of  these  priests." 

To  substantiate  the  foregoing  statement  we  quote  the 
5th  Article  of  the  Constitution  of  the  Philippine  Repub- 
lic, adopted  at  Malolos,  by  their  Constitutional  Assem- 
bly on  January  21,  1898,  as  follows:  'The  state  recog- 
nizes the  equality  of  all  religious  worships,  and  the  sep- 
aration of  church  and  the  state."  Page  108  of  Senate 
document  No.  208,  records  of  the  56th  Congress. 

**[By  the  Associated  Press.] 

''Manila,  July  23,  1899,  6:15  p.  m. — A  Filipino  priest 
named  Gregorio  Agripay,  with  the  insurgents,  is  trying 
to  lead  a  movement  for  the  independence  of  the  church 
in  the  Philippines  from  the  Spanish  priesthood.  He  has 
issued  a  proclamation  declaring  himself  the  vicar  gen- 
eral of  all  the  Filipino  priests  in  the  districts  outside  of 
American  control  on  the  island  of  Luzon,  and  is  inciting 
the  priests  to  disobey  the  regulations  of  the  church  and 
brotherhoods.  The  archbishop  of  the  district  has  issued 
a  bull  excommunicating  Agripay,  and  this  action  has  in- 
creased the  feehng  between  the  Filipinos  and  the  church. 

"The  Dominican  friars  have  begun  the  publication  of 
a  newspaper  under  the  title  of  the  Libertas,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  defending  the  brotherhood." 

On  page  164  of  his  official  report  of  August  31,  1899, 
General  Otis,  after  referring  to  what  he  terms  "the 
disfifected  element"  among  the  Filipinos,  states  in  sum- 
ming up  as  follows: 

"Secretly  these  same  critics  assert  that  these  friars  and 
Spaniards  render  valuable  aid  to  the  insurgents'  cause 
in  many  ways  and  the  number  of  Spaniards  officering 
their  troops  is  strong  proof  that  their  assertions  are  cor- 
rect." 

However  that  may  be,  evidently  the  Filipinos  felt 
that  General  Otis  was  a  friend  of  the  friars,  and  as  such, 
a  foe  of  theirs,  as  can  be  seen  from  the  following  dis- 
patch : 


284       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"Copyright,  1899,  by  The  Chicago  Record. 
"Madrid,  Oct.  2. — According  to  dispatches  from  the 
PhiHppines,  Filipinos  who  have  returned  to  the  interior 
from  Manila  declare  that  General  Otis  is  a  warm  friend  of 
the  Spanish  archbishop  of  Manila,  and  that  by  allowing 
Spanish  priests  to  preach  against  Protestants  and  Prot- 
estantism he  encourages  the  natives  and  discourages  the 
American  soldiers." 

As  he  represented  the  American  government,  it  was 
perfectly  natural  that  they  should  hate  it,  as  friendly  to 
their  foes. 

On  August  10,  1899,  Archbishop  Ireland,  upon  his 
return  from  Europe,  said  in  a  press  interview  for  pub- 
lication: 

"I  found  that  the  Roman  Catholics  in  Europe  be- 
lieved the  interests  of  the  church  would  be  much  bet- 
ter guarded  in  the  Philippines  by  an  American  than  by 
a  native  government,  and  that  it  was  considered  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  church  that  this  country  speedily 
settle  its  troubles  there  and  establish  a  stable  govern- 
ment. This  country  must  settle  that  difficulty  with  haste, 
however,  for  the  sake  of  the  good  opinion  of  Europe.  I 
came  home  with  the  idea  that  unless  we  were  speedily 
successful  there,  Europe  would  hold  that  we  did  not 
know  how  to  handle  our  outside  possessions.  The  fact 
that  we  have  not  been  able  to  release  the  Spanish  pris- 
oners held  by  Aguinaldo  has  caused  a  bad  impression." 

So  it  would  seem  then  that  this  war  was  being  fought 
for  "the  best  interests  of  the  church,"  in  general,  and 
the  freedom  and  benefit  of  the  friars  in  particular. 

From  the  Chicago  Record  of  Monday,  August  21, 
1899,  we  quote  the  following  as  authentic  upon  our  sub- 
ject: 

"Jacob  Gould  Schurman,  United  States  commissioner 
to  the  Philippines,  arrived  in  Chicago  yesterday  morn- 
ing from  the  islands  of  which  he  has  just  completed  a  six 


PRESIDENT  SCHURMAN'S  EVIDENCE.  285 

months'  study  at  the  instance  of  President  McKinley. 
In  his  apartments  at  the  Auditorium  yesterday  he  said: 

''So  far  as  the  results  of  my  official  negotiations  with 
the  representatives  of  Aguinaldo  or  other  Filipino  offi- 
cials are  concerned,  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  talk  of  them 
till  I  have  made  my  report  to  the  President.  Concern- 
ing the  islands  in  general,  however,  there  is  much  to 
be  told.  In  my  opinion  the  rebellions  the  last  of  which 
we  are  trying  to  suppress  were  due  in  the  first  place  to 
several  causes,  the  principal  of  which  were  the  tyranny 
of  some  of  the  reHgious  orders,  the  exercise  of  arbitrary 
power  by  the  governor-generals  and  the  delay  and  cor- 
ruption of  justice.  In  these  matters  the  Tagalos  suf- 
fered most,  because  they  were  most  numerous  in  the  dis- 
tricts near  Manila,  where  these  abuses  were  most  prev- 
alent. 

*'I  am  credibly  informed  that  the  practice  of  bribery 
was  so  prevalent  that  justice  could  not  be  obtained  and 
that  governor-generals  have  been  accused.  Any  Tagalo 
who  was  considered  a  dangerous  character  or  who  was 
designated  as  such  could  be  deported  and  had  no  re- 
dress. Tyrannical  Spanish  priests  who  were  taken  pris- 
oners are  now  paying  the  penalty  for  their  treatment  of 
the  Tagalos  by  being  subjected  to  the  greatest  indigni- 
ties." 

It  is  to  be  seen  at  a  glance  over  Dr.  Schurman's  state- 
ments that  they  fully  confirm  those  of  our  Roman  Cath- 
olic authority,  Mr.  John  Foreman,  from  first  to  last,  giv- 
ing to  them  the  seal  of  official  information  from  the  Phil- 
ippine Commission.  Thev  have  since  become  of  record 
officially. 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 

INTERESTS  OF  THE  ROMAN  HIERARCHY  IN  THE 
ISLANDS. 

That  the  Roman  Catholic  hierarchy  has  taken  a  very 
active  interest  in  our  Philippine  affairs  cannot  be  ques- 
tioned, in  the  light  of  the  following: 


286      THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

[Special  Cable  to  the  New  York  Journal  and  the  Chi- 
cago Tribune.] 

''Rome,  Aug. 27. — Pope  Leo  is  deeply  concerned  about 
the  war  in  the  Philippines,  and  has  communicated  his 
anxiety  to  the  Rev.  Father  Reaney,  chaplain  of  the 
Olympia.  He  expressed  a  strong  desire  to  see  peace 
established  between  the  United  States  and  the  natives, 
and  said  that  he  contemplated  the  opening  of  negotia- 
tions with  the  United  States  government  with  a  view 
to  regulating  the  position  of  Catholics  in  the  Philippines. 

*'We  have  a  firm  hope,"  he  said,  "that  the  Philippines 
will  enjoy  prosperity  under  the  protection  of  the  United 
States." 

From  The  Detroit  Evening  News,  September  21,  1899. 

''Washington,  Sept.  20. — Cardinal  Gibbons  had  half  an 
hour's  conference  with  the  President  to-day.  Further 
than  to  admit  that  the  conversation  related  to  the  situa- 
tion in  the  Philippines,  Cardinal  Gibbons  declined  to 
state.  It  is  known  that  the  cardinal  came  by  appoint- 
ment. A  few  of  the  Catholic  clergy  have  been  much 
exercised  by  the  reports  of  destruction  of  church  prop- 
erty in  the  Philippines  by  American  soldiers,  and  it  is 
presumed  this,  together  with  other  subjects  relating  to 
the  Catholic  church  in  the  Philippines,  was  discussed. 

From  the  Chicago  Tribune,  December  27,  1899. 

"Washington,  November  27  (1899). — Cardinal  Gib- 
bons has  decided  to  take  a  house  in  Washington  for 
the  winter,  and  his  arrival  is  anxiously  awaited  by  the 
Roman  Catholic  circle,  which  embraces  two  members 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  several  Senators,  a  sprinkling 
of  Representatives,  and  a  large  number  of  diplomats.  It 
seems  to  be  generally  understood  that  the  Cardinal's  de- 
cision to  spend  a  season  in  Washington  is  not  entirely 
due  to  social  reasons,  but  it  is  believed  to  be  the  begin- 
ning of  a  vigorous  campaign  to  preserve  to  the  church 
some  of  its  exemptions  and  privileges  in  Porto  Rico  and 
the  PhiHppines.  It  is  admitted  on  all  hands,  of  course, 
that  church  and  state  will  have  to  be  severed  in  the  new 


INTERESTS  OF  ROMAN  HIERARCHY.  287 

colonies,  but  the  problem  of  how  to  do  this  fairly  is  a 
perplexing  one. 

"The  Catholic  church  has  been  intimately  connected 
with  the  Spanish  crown  for  centuries,  and  the  Catholic 
missionaries  who  accompanied  the  old  conquerors  laid 
the  foundations  for  vast  temporal  possessions,  so  that 
the  church  has  at  stake  great  interests,  even  in  the  way 
of  dollars  and  cents.  Several  of  the  American  prelates 
believe  that  the  church  will  prosper  more  from  volun- 
tary benefactions  than  from  the  old  system  of  legalized 
contributions.  They  are  chiefly  concerned  about  the  pos- 
sible interference  with  vested  interests  and  old  titles  to 
actual  holdings  rather  than  revenues.  Cardinal  Gibbons' 
mission,  therefore,  is  supposed  to  be  to  keep  a  sharp 
eye  on  the  progress  of  legislation  as  far  as  it  relates  to 
the  Philippines  and  Porto  Rico,  and  even  to  Cuba  as 
well,  for  it  is  admitted  the  United  States  will  exercise  a 
military  protectorate  over  that  island  for  an  indefinite 
time,  and  the  rights  of  the  clergy  there  are  a  matter  of 
history.  In  the  Philippines  the  insurgents  have  already 
pronounced  against  the  monastic  orders,  and  as  for  the 
Cubans  they  were  formally  denounced  by  the  church  with 
bell,  book  and  candle.  The  result  is  that  the  churchmen 
depend  more  on  the  liberality  of  the  Americans  than  on 
the  waning  loyalty  to  the  church  of  the  natives  of  the 
captured  islands. 

'Tt  is  admitted  by  members  of  the  administration  that 
the  disposal  of  the  church  property  and  the  peaceful  sev- 
erance of  its  antiquated  privileges  and  immunities  with- 
out injustice  will  be  one  of  the  most  serious  and  possibly 
the  most  hotly  contested  questions  to  come  up  before 
Congress." 

"Copyright,  1899,  by  The  Chicago  Record. 

"Rome,  December  11. — I  am  informed  on  excellent 
A'atican  authority  that  Pope  Leo  will  strongly  support 
the  protest  of  the  American  episcopate  to  President  Mc- 
Kinley  against  the  spoliation  of  Roman  Catholic 
churches  in  the  Philippines  by  American  soldiers." 

For  those  interested  in  this  issue  we  quote  the  {qIIow- 


288      THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

ing,  from  the  proclamation  of  Major-General  Wesley 
Merritt,  issued  upon  the  occupation  of  Manila  by  the 
United  States  forces,  August  14,  1898,  and  published  as 
widely  as  possible -in  accordance  with  the  directions  of 
the  President  at  Washington: 

**VI.  All  churches  and  places  devoted  to  religious 
worship  and  to  the  arts  and  sciences,  all  educational  in- 
stitutions, libraries,  scientific  collections,  museums,  are 
so  far  as  possible  to  be  protected.  *  *  *  Severe  pun- 
ishment will  be  meted  out  for  all  violations  of  this  regu- 
lation." 

This  proclamation  may  be  found  in  full  upon  pages  86 
and  87  of  Senate  document  208,  of  the  56th  Congress,  and 
in  this  connection  we  ask  attention  to  the  following  to 
be  found  in  a  letter  from  General  King  in  the  Chicago 
Record,  of  May  13,  1899,  which  may  put  a  different  phase 
upon  this  particular  question  in  the  minds  of  some : 

"He  implored  us  to  respect  the  holy  character  of  his 
innumerable  churches,  and  he  made  the  very  altar  his 
arsenal — stored  his  Mausers  and  cartridges  under  the 
image  of  the  crucified  Savior  and  crammed  the  church 
itself  with  fighting  men  when  the  hour  of  outbreak  came. 
Dozens  of  our  wounded,  drifting  back  to  the  hospitals, 
and  of  our  officers  and  orderlies  riding  to  and  fro  among 
the  buildings  they  had  preserved  and  protected  were  shot 
down  from  within  the  walls  of  the  sanctuary." 

It  is  remarkable  that  while  his  holiness  is  ready  to  pro- 
test against  the  desecration  of  church  edifices  by  the 
United  States  troops,  he  has  never  been  heard  to  utter 
one  word  of  protest  against  the  outraging  of  humanity 
by  the  Spanish  friars  for  the  past  three  centuries. 

The  violation  of  woman's  honor  and  the  abrogation  of 
human  rights  are  believed  to  be  far  more  grievous  in 
the  eyes  of  God,  than  the  desecration  of  any  temples, 
convents,  or  monasteries  of  wood  or  stone,  and  as  to  the 


INTERESTS  OF  ROMAN  HIERARCHY.  289 

latter  we  call  attention  to  Aguinaldo's  letter  to  General 
Otis  of  November  18,  1898,  in  which  he  wrote,  in  part, 
as  follows,  in  reply  to  the  assertion  that  the  friars  could 
not  be  held  as  prisoners  of  war  in  accordance  with  the 
requirements  of  international  law: 

"In  Manila  during  the  seige  of  the  town  by  your  forces, 
all  the  ecclesiastics,  organized  and  uniformed,  formed  a 
part  of  the  municipal  guard,  and  all  of  them,  you  may  be 
sure,  have  lent  their  direct  and  effective  co-operation  to 
the  forces  that  fought  the  Filipinos,  not  only  maintaining 
at  their  expense  armed  bodies,  but  accompanying  them 
in  their  expeditions,  as  well  as  inciting  them  to  battle. 
The  convents  have  been  the  most  impregnable  defenses 
where  the  Spanish  combatants  together  with  the  priests 
shielded  themselves." 

In  the  Manila  Freedom  of  July  14,  1899,  at  the  head  of 
the  ''Local"  column,  on  the  8th  page  is  the  following 
statement: 

*'It  is  said  that  the  authorities  will  soon  commence 
an  official  investigation  of  the  land  titles  held  by  the  dif- 
ferent religious  orders  in  the  archipelago." 

A  little  later  appeared  the  following  press  dispatch : 
"Copyright,  1899,  by  The  Chicago  Record. 

''Manila,  September  18. — The  Filipinos  are  circulating 
petitions  for  signatures  which  are  addressed  to  President 
McKinley  and  which  ask  him  to  expel  the  friars  and  the 
archbishop  of  Manila  from  the  island.  The  Filipinos  claim 
that  the  presence  of  the  churchmen  is  a  menace  to  their 
interests." 

Then  this  followed: 

(By  the  Associated  Press.) 

"New  Orleans,  La.,  September  25,  1899. — ^Archbishop 
Chappelle  of  New  Orleans  has  been  officially  notified  by 
Cardinal  RampoUa  that  Pope  Leo  XIIL  has  appointed 
him  apostolic  delegate  for  the  Philippines.  The  new  and 
responsible  office  has  been  conferred  on  the  archbishop 


290       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

by  the  pope  of  his  own  movement  and  has  come  as  a 
surprise  to  the  archbishop.  He  will  still  remain  apostolic 
delegate  for  Cuba  and  Puerto  Rico  as  well  as  archbishop 
of  New  Orleans." 

Still  later  by  the  Associated  Press  the  following  an- 
nouncement was  made: 

(By  the  Associated  Press.) 

"New  Orleans,  La.,  October  11,  1899. — Archbishop 
Chappelle,  papal  delegate  to  the  Philippine  islands,  to- 
night gave  out  his  first  interview  regarding  his  important 
mission.  1  have  talked  over  my  mission  thoroughly  with 
President  McKinley,"  he  said,  "and  we  understand  each 
other.  My  errand  is  one  of  pacification.  I  hope  to  ac- 
complish what  the  army  of  the  United  States  has  failed 
to  do — to  bring  peace  to  the  islands.  I  am  hurrying  the 
arrangements  for  my  departure  regardless  of  all  else,  and 
will  leave  at  the  earliest  possible  opportunity.  I  feel  that 
I  will  be  successful  in  what  I  am  going  to  try  to  ac- 
compHsh. 

"  'I  have  received  no  notification  that  confiscation  of 
church  property  in  the  islands  is  intended.  The  property 
of  the  church  in  the  Philippines  is  private  property,  as 
much  so  as  the  possessions  of  any  individual  citizen  of 
the  United  States.  This  talk  about  superfluous  holdings 
amounts  to  nothing.  This  government  is  in  possession 
of  my  plans  and  I  will  work  in  accord  with  the  govern- 
ment.' " 

We  wish  to  call  attention  to  a  few  facts  as  announced 
in  the  following  press  dispatches  of  import  to  all  inter- 
ested: 

(By  the  Associated  Press.) 

"San  Francisco,  Cal.,  December  3. — Mgr.  Chappelle, 
archbishop  of  New  Orleans  and  apostolic  delegate 
to  Cuba,  Puerto  Rico  and  the  Philippines,  arrived  here 
to-day,  en  route  to  Manila,  where  he  goes  to  arrange 
church  affairs  to  conform  with  the  change  of  government 
in  the  Philippines.  He  will  sail  on  the  transport  Sher- 
man, which  is  scheduled  to  leave  next  Tuesday. 


THE  KIRKMAN  INCIDENT.  291 

"Mgr.  Chappelle  will  be  accompanied  from  this  city  by 
Chaplain  W.  D.  McKinnon." 

The  following  taken  from  the  Chicago  Tribune  of 
April  I,  1900,  was  dated  Washington,  D.  C,  March  31, 
1900,  and  may  be  of  interest  to  many: 

''General  Otis  to-day  advised  the  War  Department  that 
Major  George  O.  Kirkman,  of  Illinois,  has  been  court- 
martialled  and  dismissed  from  the  army.  Kirkman,  who 
was  a  major  of  the  Forty-ninth  Infantry,  was  charged 
with  insulting  Archbishop  Chappelle,  when  under  the 
influence  of  liquor,  while  the  archbishop  and  Major  Kirk- 
man were  crossing  the  Pacific  on  a  transport  about  three 
months  ago.  According  to  this  story,  the  major  hung 
his  blanket  out  to  air  so  that  it  obstructed  the  view 
from  the  archbishop's  window.  The  archbishop  is  said 
to  have  protested  against  this  discourtesy  and  complained 
that  his  light  and  air  were  cut  off,  and,  as  the  story  goes, 
Major  Kirkman  replied  in  strong  language  that  it  was 
no  concern  of  his  whether  the  archbishop  was  made  un- 
comfortable or  not.  Other  slights  and  insults,  it  is  as- 
serted, according  to  the  story,  were  given  by  Major 
Kirkman,  which  the  archbishop  bore  without  complaint 
on  the  way  across  the  ocean.  On  reaching  Manila  the 
priest  was  met  by  several  officers,  who  invited  him  to 
proceed  by  steam  launch  to  the  city. 

*Tt  seems  this  precedence  astonished  Kirkman,  who 
had  not  been  aware  that  the  duties  of  the  archbishop 
were  official.  Evidently  the  insult  was  reported  to  Gen- 
eral Otis  and  the  court-martial  followed." 

This  is  not  the  first  nor  the  only  instance  where  a 
federal  officer  has  fallen  before  the  wrath  of  the  friends 
of  the  friars,  whether  innocent  or  not. 

We  find  the  following  in  an  editorial  of  The  Manila 
Freedom  for  August  2,  1900,  regarding  this  affair:  ''One 
of  the  last  acts  of  the  late  Congress  was  to  restore  George 
W.  Kirkman  to  his  rank  in  the  regular  army,  that  of 
Captain.     *     *     *    His  gallant  services  at  El  Caney, 


292       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

and  his  previous  good  character  helped  to  win  the  day 
for  him.  *  *  *  The  act  provides  for  rank,  pay  and 
allowance  from  the  date  of  his  dismissal,  and  it  is  just." 
We  know  nothing  of  the  merits  of  the  case  personally. 
From  mid-ocean  the  following  special  came  to  'The 
Chicago  Record,"  concerning  Mgr.  Chappelle,  en  route 
to  the  Philippines: 

"Honolulu,  January  i,  via  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  Janu- 
ary 8. — When  Archbishop  Chappelle,  apostolic  dele- 
gate to  the  Philippines,  passed  through  here  on  the  Cop- 
tic for  Manila,  it  was  stated  by  passengers  who  were  on 
the  vessel  with  him  and  who  stopped  off  here,  that  his 
mission  was  not  alone  a  spiritual  one,  but  that  he  went 
to  adjust  on  behalf  of  the  church  the  question  of  land 
titles  and  church  property  titles  under  the  new  regime. 
The  precise  question  he  is  to  settle  is  said  to  arise  out  of 
the  claim  of  the  church  to  an  original  fee  simple  title  to  all 
of  the  land  in  the  Philippines  derived  from  grants  made 
in  aid  of  missionary  work  by  sovereigns  of  Spain  cen- 
turies ago. 

''As  a  compromise  and  settlement  of  these  claims  it 
is  said  that  the  archbishop  has  an  agreement  with  Presi- 
dent McKinley  whereby,  in  consideration  of  $20,000,000 
worth  of  property  to  be  selected  by  the  archbishop  for 
which  a  clear  and  unincumbered  title  is  to  be  given  by 
the  United  States,  the  church  is  to  waive  all  claims  to 
title  to  any  other  property  or  land  in  the  Philippines.  The 
archbishop  is  to  select  the  property  he  wants  the  church 
to  retain. 

"On  account  of  the  existence  of  the  bubonic  plague  in 
Honolulu  the  Coptic  did  not  come  into  the  harbor  nor  did 
the  archbishop  or  any  other  through  passengers  come 
ashore,  so  there  was  no  opportunity  to  verify  these  state- 
ments as  to  the  archbishop's  mission  from  his  own  lips." 

The  day  after  came  the  following  from  Manila: 

"(By  the  Associated  Press.) 
"Manila,  January  2,  6:45  p.  m. — Archbishop  Chappelle, 
the  papal  delegate  to  the  Philippines,  arrived  here  to- 


INTERESTS  OF  ROMAN  HIERARCHY.     293 

day  on  the  United  States  transport  Sherman,  which  sailed 
from  San  Francisco,  December  8.  It  is  said  that  the 
friars  are  striving  to  secure  Mgr.  Chappelle's  ear  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  better  protection  for  individual  in- 
terests. The  arrival  of  the  papal  delegate  directs  atten- 
tion to  the  question  of  the  church  and  the  brotherhoods 
in  the  PhiHppines,  including  the  matters  of  deciding  the 
brotherhoods'  claims  to  real  estate  and  other  property  of 
the  church  receiving  state  support  and  of  the  re-establish- 
ment of  Spanish  curates  in  native  parishes. 

"By  the  appointment  of  Mgr.  Chappelle  as  Archbishop 
Nozaledas'  successor  the  Filipinos  and  Spaniards  feel 
that  steps  will  be  taken  in  these  momentous  matters 
which  may  bring  infinite  good  or  evil  to  the  islands. 
Consequently,  Mgr.  Chappelle's  actions  will  be  closely 
watched  and  fully  discussed. 

''Revolutionists  having  started  the  rumor  that  Mgr. 
Chappelle  intends  eventually  to  recommend  the  appoint- 
ment of  Father  McKinnon  as  archbishop  of  the  Philip- 
pines, the  latter's  defense  of  the  brotherhoods  in  the 
American  newspapers  has  been  translated  and  circulated 
among  the  natives  for  the  purpose,  it  is  declared,  of  show- 
ing that  Father  McKinnon  will  support  the  brotherhoods 
if  he  is  selected." 

In  this  same  connection  the  following  statement  was 
made  public  in  The  New  Orient  of  Manila,  November 
II,  1899,  concerning  Father  McKinnon,  the  first  Ameri- 
can Superintendent  of  Education,  Charities  and  Ceme- 
teries in  the  Philippines,  and  the  feeling  of  the  Filipinos 
in  regard  to  him  and  his  rumored  candidacy  for  the 
archbishopric  of  Manila: 

"The  Rev.  Father  McKinnon,  who  did  signal  service 
for  the  Americans  in  Manila,  while  chaplain  of  the  Cali- 
fornia regiment,  is  apparently  a  candidate  for  the  Manila 
archbishopric,  which  will  be  left  vacant  when  the  present 
incumbent.  Dr.  Nozaleda,  departs  for  Spain,  as  an- 
nounced some  time  ago  through  the  columns  of  the 
press. 


294       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

''Agoncillo,  the  foreign  emissary  of  the  PhiHppine  re- 
pubHc,  is  going  to  Rome  to  file  a  protest  against  the  ap- 
pointment of  Father  McKinnon.  Agoncillo  desires  to 
designate  ^  prelate  for  the  Manila  diocese.  It  is  very 
probable  that  Agoncillo  will  not  receive  a  hearing  from 
the  Pope.  All  his  missions  so  far  to  the  various  capitals 
of  Europe  have  been  abortive,  and  his  present  task  will 
not  affect  the  result." 


CHAPTER  XL. 
EDUCATIONAL  AFFAIRS  IN  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

We  call  attention  of  all  interested  to  the  following  offi- 
cial statement  concerning  education  in  the  Philippines: 

On  page  152  of  his  official  report  of  August  31,  1899, 
General  Otis  states  in  regard  to  education: 

'The  higher  education  which  the  islands  have  hitherto 
enjoyed,  as  well  as  that  of  a  minor  character,  has  been 
entirely  under  the  control  of  the  religious  orders  and  has 
centered  in  Manila. 

"The  Dominican  order,  rich  in  landed  estates,  acquired 
through  a  series  of  years,  inaugurating  its  educational 
poHcy  under  royal  assistance,  money  contributions  and 
decrees  when  the  educational  field  was  entirely  in  the 
possession  of  the  clergy,  and  seizing  on  by  degrees  to 
the  educational  institutions  and  scientific  schools  organ- 
ized by  the  Jesuits  under  royal  protection  and  conducted 
with  funds  from  individual  testators  after  that  order  had 
been  driven  from  the  islands,  built  up  the  University  of 
Manila,  and  gradually  incorporated  in  it  these  Jesuit 
foundations.  Great  effort  was  made  to  sever  them  from 
Dominican  authority  by  recent  Spanish  statesmen  of 
advanced  ideas,  but  without  success,  and  now  the  leading 
Filipinos  demand  that  severance  and  a  return  to  state 
supervision.  Much  time  and  labor  in  historical  research 
has  been  extended  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Crowder  of 
the  law  department  in  the  investigation  of  these  matters, 
and  his  able  reports  of  past  and  present  conditions  and 


EDUCATIONAL  AFFAIRS.  295 

legal  conclusions  derived  therefrom  has  so  presented  the 
subject  that  radical  action  can  be  taken  in  some  in- 
stances, and  has  been  determined  upon.  The  archbishop 
of  Manila,  who  I  am  informed  is  a  member  of  the  Dom- 
inican order,  has  served  parol  notice  that  he  will  stren- 
uously oppose  such  action,  and  has  been  invited  to  sub- 
mit his  protest  at  an  early  date." 

General  Otis  was  free  to  refer  to  the  fact  that  the  re- 
ligious orders  have  overruled  education  in  the  past,  but 
he  was  silent  as  to  the  appointment  of  a  priest  favoring 
the  friars  as  superintendent  of  public  schools,  charities, 
cemeteries,  etc.,  in  Manila. 

To  illustrate  the  situation,  we  quote  again  briefly  from 
Mr.  Sargent's  reference  to  education  in  the  Outlook  as 
follows : 

"Their  education  included  those  branches  only,  which 
were  taught  at  the  schools  conducted  by  the  priesthood 
at  the  capital  towns  of  the  provinces,  and  was  of  rather 
an  impracticable  nature.  The  Spanish  language,  Span- 
ish history,  church  history  and  the  dead  languages  evi- 
dently formed  its  leading  features."     *     *     * 

'The  great  mass  of  this  population  has  been  kept  in 
an  unenlightened  state  by  deliberate  legislation,  which 
has  effectually  deprived  them  of  every  possible  oppor- 
tunity for  advancement.  Those  who  have  acquired  edu- 
cation have  acquired  it  at  an  extravagant  cost  that  has 
placed  it  hopelessly  beyond  the  reach  of  all  but  the 
wealthy." 

To  be  fair  to  the  facts  in  the  case,  we  wish  to  state  that 
the  agitation  against  the  clerical  control  of  educational 
affairs  in  the  Philippines  has  caused  a  hopeful  change  in 
that  regard,  but  this  has  brought  out  the  most  bigoted 
protest  from  friends  of  the  friars. 

One  circular  sent  out  by  their  instigation  in  the  name 
of  German  Catholics  of  Michigan  reads  as  follows: 

''We  condemn  as  unnecessary,  imprudent  and  brutal, 


296       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  imposition  of  our  Godless  public  school  system  in 
the  islands  of  Cuba,  Porto  Rico  and  the  Philip- 
pines."    *    *    * 

This  is  the  very  height  of  hypocrisy  for  the  represen- 
tatives of  the  very  church  which  has  shut  the  Bible  out 
of  all  our  American  schools,  and  made  them  the  '*God- 
less"  institutions  they  are,  to  turn  and  condemn  others 
for  their  own  wickedness. 

But  they  go  much  farther  and  add : 

*'We  consider  and  condemn  the  action  of  Congress 
dictated  by  and  passed  in  the  interests  of  certain  sects,  by 
which  all  government  support  has  been  withdrawn  from 
the  Catholic  Indian  schools,  which  alone  have  proven 
their  fitness  to  civilize  the  redman,  as  a  breach  of  the 
nation's  plighted  word  and  high-handed  and  ignorant 
measure  of  crying  injustice  against  the  CathoHc  Indians, 
to  whom  these  funds  rightfully  belong  by  virtue  of  the 
treaties  entered  into  between  them  and  the  government, 
based  upon  the  concessions  of  land  made  to  the  Re- 
public." 

This  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  bold  demand  for 
barefaced  robbery,  for  if,  as  it  acknowledges,  the  funds 
they  call  for  "rightfully  belong"  to  the  Indians,  these 
sectarians  have  no  right  to  them  whatever,  and  Congress 
does  right  to  stop  their  robbery. 

They  are  trying  to  force  upon  the  United  States  of 
America  the  same  system  that  has  ruined  Roman  Catho- 
lic countries,  including  Spain  and  the  Philippines,  and 
seem  determined  to  rule  or  ruin  our  Republic. 

In  this  connection  it  is  instructive  to  recall  the  fact 
that  prior  to  1896  the  following  declaration  formed  one 
of  the  planks  in  several  Republican  national  platforms : 

"We  reafifirm  the  declaration  of  the  platform  of  1876: 

"The  public  school  system  of  the  United  States  is  the 

bulwark  of  the  American  republic,  and  with  a  view  to  its 

security  and  permanence,  we  recommend  an  amendment 


EDUCATIONAL  AFFAIRS.  297 

to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  forbidding  the 
application  of  any  public  funds  or  property  for  the  benefit 
of  any  schools  or  institutions  under  sectarian  control." 

It  was  proposed  to  reaffirm  this  principle  in  the  plat- 
form of  1896,  but  in  June  a  St.  Louis  Globe  dispatch 
stated  as  follows: 

"The  following  telegram  was  received  by  Chairman 
Carter  of  the  National  Committee  from  Archbishop  Ire- 
land: 

'To  Thomas  H.  Carter,  National  Committeeman,  St. 
Louis,  Mo. 

*'  The  clause  in  the  proposed  platform  opposing  the 
use  of  public  money  for  sectarian  purposes  and  union  of 
church  and  state,  is  unnecessary  and  uncalled  for.  It 
is  urged  by  the  A.  P.  A.  Its  adoption  will  be  taken  as 
a  concession  to  them,  will  awaken  religious  animosities 
in  the  country,  and  will  do  much  harm.  The  Republican 
party  should  not  lower  itself  to  recognize  directly  or  in- 
directly the  A.  P.  A.  I  hope  the  clause,  or  anything  like 
it,  will  not  be  adopted.  John  Ireland.' '' 

Another  dispatch  declared: 

"The  dispatch  was  referred  by  Chairman  Carter 
(Roman  Catholic)  to  Edward  Lauterbach  (Jew),  of  New 
York,  and  he,  with  National  Committeeman  R.  C.  Ker- 
ens (Roman  Catholic)  of  this  city  (St.  Louis),  went  be- 
fore the  committee  and  succeeded  in  knocking  out  all 
reference  to  the  church.    The  plank  was  thrown  out." 

So  it  would  seem  that  the  same  hand  was  on  the  helm 
in  Manila  in  1898,  as  held  it  in  St.  Louis  In  1896. 

The  following  familiar  looking  news  item  appeared  in 
the  city  news  columns  of  the  Chicago  Record  of  May 
9,  1900: 

"Archbishop  Ireland  Here — Archbishop  Ireland,  of 
St.  Paul,  was  at  the  Great  Northern  Hotel  yesterday. 
He  was  in  conference  during  most  of  the  day  with  R.  C. 
Kerens,  of  St.  Louis,  Republican  National  Committeeman 


298       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

from  Missouri.  The  subject  of  the  conference  is  said 
to  have  been  the  attitude  of  the  administration  toward 
Cuba,  Porto  Rico  and  the  Phihppines  with  reference  to 
the  CathoHc  church.  Neither  Mr.  Kerens  nor  the  arch- 
bishop would  deny  or  affirm  last  night  that  the  confer- 
ence pertained  to  this  subject.  'I  came  to  Chicago  to  at- 
tend to  a  personal  matter,'  said  Archbishop  Ireland." 

This  shows  that  the  foes  of  America's  free  schools  are 
still  alive,  and  that  the  friends  of  free  education  must 
be  alert. 

The  circular  referred  to  states  that  "We  are  on  the 
eve  of  troublous  times,  and  therefore  we  most  earnestly 
call  upon  all  Catholic  men  to  organize  strongly,  for  if 
this  is  at  all  times  useful,  it  has  become  an  absolute  ne- 
cessity in  our  day,"  which  looks  very  much  like  a  threat 
that  they  meant  mischief. 

If  our  friends  propose  to  put  into  operation  this  system 
of  education  and  plunder,  there  are  "troublous  times" 
ahead. 

The  Chicago  Journal  of  September  6,  1900,  contained 
the  following: 

"The  Catholic  schools  of  Chicago  have  made  an  in- 
crease of  20,000  pupils  over  the  attendance  of  last  year. 

*  *  *  -On  every  hand  there  is  a  growing  tendency 
among  Catholic  parents  to  send  their  children  to  the 
parochial  schools,  where  religious  training  is  added  to 
the  secular  and  technical  instruction. 

"According  to  Father  Barry,  chancellor  of  the  arch- 
diocese of  Chicago  *  *  *  each  pastor  has  advised 
his  people  to  send  the  children  to  the  parish  schools. 

*  *  *  'We  tell  the  parents — and  it  is  our  duty  to  do 
so — that  we  are  not  responsible  for  the  morals  of  their 
children  if  they  are  sent  to  the  public  schools.  There 
they  can  receive  no  religious  instruction,  which  is  a  far 
more  important  consideration  than  secular  training.  * 
"^     *     The  parents  have  a  right  to  send  their  children 


EDUCATIONAL  AFFAIRS.  299 

to  the  city  schools,  but  it  is  their  bounden  duty  to  send 
them  to  the  parochial  schools.' 

*At  present  the  rumor  is  circulated  that  certain  persons 
are  making  an  effort  to  introduce  into  the  public  schools 
a  supplementary  reader  containing  selections  from  the 
bible.  The  school  authorities,  I  am  informed,  have  been 
approached  in  this  matter.*  We  can  not  accept  any  such  in- 
troduction of  bible  readings.  The  interpretations  put 
upon  these  selected  passages  can  not  meet  with  the 
approval  of  all  denominations  and  logically  are  dan- 
gerous.' " 


CHAPTER    XLI. 
CENSORSHIP   IN   THE   PHILIPPINES. 

We  would  again  call  attention  in  this  connection  to  the 
testimony  of  our  Roman  Catholic  Filipino,  Mr.  Ramon 
Reyes  Lala,  when  he  said: 

"By  this  I  do  not  mean  a  propaganda  against  the 
Roman  Catholic  church,  for  I  am  a  Catholic  myself,  and 
firmly  believe  that  this  religion  is  far  better  suited  to  the 
character  of  our  people  than  any  form  of  Protestantism. 

''The  monks  have  opposed  every  attempt  at  reform. 
Their  policy  has  ever  been  the  policy  of  ignorance,  know- 
ing that  their  livelihood  depended  upon  its  perpetuation. 
It  has  been  their  aim,  chiefly,  to  limit  public  instruction 
to  the  mere  rudiments  of  knowledge — giving  to  every 
subject  a  religious  bias.  Even  the  colleges  and  the  Uni- 
versity of  Manila  are  not  free  from  their  narrow  super- 
vision; while  they  ever  maintained  a  rigid  censorship 
over  the  press." 

To  show  that  the  enlightened  Filipino  leaders  of  to- 
day feel  as  Mr.  Lala  does  we  quote  in  this  connection 
the  following  from  an  Associated  Press  dispatch : 

"Manila,  December  22,  1899,  10 -50  p.  m. — The  news- 
paper Democracia,  the  organ  of  a  coterie  of  Filipinos, 
including  the  Supreme  Court  judges  favoring  American 


300       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

control  in  the  Philippines,  to-night  announces  that  it  has 
been  decided  to  suspend  publication.  The  paper  was 
started  at  the  suggestion  and  under  the  patronage  of  the 
Philippine  advisory  commission,  headed  by  Prof.  J.  G. 
Schurman.  The  Democracia  prints  a  single  page  in  big 
type.  In  the  statement  accompanying  the  announcement 
of  its  suspension  the  editor  says  he  has  been  directed  by 
the  provost  marshal  to  retract  certain  criticism  of  the 
clerical  methods  adopted  in  regard  to  the  management  of 
schools,  and  adds: 

'Recognizing  the  authority  of  the  provost  marshal, 
we  have  no  recourse  except  to  comply,  and  have  decided 
to  suspend  publication  until  the  present  extraordinary 
conditions  regarding  press  matters  disappear.  When  we 
know  what  laws  rule  us,  by  what  mode  we  are  judged 
and  to  whose  jurisdiction  press  matters  are  amenable, 
the  Democracia  will  reappear." 

"The  paper  has  generally  been  a  warm  supporter  of  the 
administration.  The  provost  marshal  recently  threat- 
ened to  suppress  it  for  publishing  an  editorial  asserting 
that  Manila  streets  were  in  a  worse  condition  under  the 
American  than  they  had  been  under  Spanish  adminis- 
tration. 

"The  editor  of  the  Manila  Times  was  also  recently 
warned,  with  an  intimation  of  imprisonment  and  con- 
fiscation for  printing  an  editorial  recommending  the  cre- 
ation of  a  board  of  charity  commissioners  to  control  the 
charitable  institutions,  on  account  of  rumors  of  misman- 
agement of  charitable  funds  by  the  church  authorities. 

"The  newspapers  complain  bitterly  that  the  authorities 
exercise  a  paternal  supervision,  threatening  suppression, 
they  claim,  for  trifling  errors  in  the  publication  of  news 
not  connected  with  public  matters.  They  also  say  the 
censorship  handicaps  newspaper  enterprise  by  suppress- 
ing cable  dispatches,  received  from  respectable  agencies, 
whose  transmission  is  of  an  exceedingly  costly  character. 
The  matter  suppressed  includes  reports  of  government 
actions,  among  them  being  Philippine  and  American  oc- 
currences which  might  give  the  Filipinos  an  unfavorable 
opinion  of  the  United  States." 


CENSORSHIP   IN   THE   PHILIPPINES.  301 

The  following  more  recent  report  shows  the  situation 
as  regards  the  censorship  at  Manila  to  be  much  more 
serious  than  most  persons  probably  suppose,  and  one 
which  would  not  be  supported  by  any  honest,  liberty- 
loving  American,  as  justice  is  impossible  under  a  censor- 
ship system,  and  incompatible  with  republican  institu- 
tions, save  for  military  measures  in  time  of  war,  this  being 
for  far  different  purposes,  when  it  is  officially  claimed  the 
Philippines  are  ''pacified." 

"(Correspondence  of  the  Associated  Press.) 

''Manila,  April  12. — The  Manila  editors  and  the  cor- 
respondents of  American  newspapers  here  are  hoping 
that  the  arrival  of  the  civil  commission  will  result  in  a 
reform  of  the  present  censorship  methods.  Cablegrams 
announcing  the  appointment  of  the  commission  were  re- 
ceived by  two  of  the  Manila  newspapers,  but  the  censor 
forbade  them  to  print  this  news.  He  has  asserted  that 
he  suppresses  only  that  news  "inimical  to  the  interests 
of  the  military  government." 

"Frequent  friction  arose  between  the  correspondents 
and  the  previous  censor,  while  the  Schurman  commission 
was  here,  over  messages  relating  to  the  commission,  and 
there  was  sometimes  much  trouble  in  getting  through 
news  which  the  commission  had  given  out  for  publi- 
cation. 

"The  editors  of  the  local  newspapers  complain  bitterly 
and  unanimously  that  the  censorship  as  it  is  managed  in- 
flicts upon  them  wholly  needless  hardships  and  great 
financial  loss.  The  only  Filipino  paper  which  supported 
the  American  administration  has  suspended  publication 
on  acount  of  the  censorship,  and  the  editor  of  the  oldest 
and  most  respectable  and  friendly  Spanish  journal  an- 
nounces that  he  intends  to  close  his  business  and  leave 
Manila,  because  it  is  impossible  to  publish  a  newspaper 
under  the  restrictions  imposed  by  the  present  govern- 
ment. 

"The  editors  argue  that  the  publication  of  newspapers 
which  support  the  government's  policy,  as  all  of  the 


302       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Manila  papers  do,  is  an  enterprise  that  should  be  en- 
couraged rather  than  harassed.  That  they  pay  almost 
prohibitive  rates  to  secure  cablegrams,  that  they  are 
served  by  reputable  and  conservative  press  agencies  and 
that  their  own  financial  interests  lead  them  to  instruct 
their  correspondents  not  to  throw  away  money  on  cable- 
grams which  could  not  be  published.  They  argue  that 
no  correspondent  could  possibly  foresee  that  such  news 
as  labor  strikes  or  the  appointment  of  a  commission  to 
the  Philippines  would  be  considered  inimical  to  the  in- 
terests of  the  government,  and  that,  moreover,  the  news 
which  comes  to  them  is  not  suppressed,  but  merely  post- 
poned, because  the  Filipinos  receive  the  leading  news- 
papers from  the  United  States  and  read  them  with  the 
greatest  care." 

The  imprisonment  of  the  editor  of  La  Patria  for  publi- 
cation of  articles  objectional  to  the  military  government, 
illustrates  a  little  of  the  paternal  liberty  bestowed  upon 
the  Filipinos  at  present,  under  pressure  of  the  orders  of 
foreign  priests  and  friars. 

*'(By  the  Associated  Press.) 

"Manila,  March  26,  1900,  7  a.  m. — La  Patria  and  El 
Liberal,  Spanish  organs  of  the  extreme  Filipino  party, 
have  recently  been  publishing  articles  inimical  to  the 
military  government.  General  Otis  has  suppressed  the 
former  journal  for  sedition  and  imprisoned  the  editor, 
at  the  same  time  issuing  a  warning  to  the  members  of 
the  extreme  party  that  they  should  observe  greater  mod- 
eration." 

But  this  is  only  a  portion  of  the  benefit  the  Filipinos 
are  deriving  from  a  free  American  administration. 

The  following  dispatch  shows  that  their  love  of  country 
and  liberty  can  not  be  stifled  by  censorship  of  press  or 
plays : 

''(By  the  Associated  Press.) 

"Manila,  March  26,  1900. — During  the  production  of 
an  incendiary  play  entitled  'For  Love  of  Country,'  pre- 


CENSORSHIP   IN   THE   PHILIPPINES.         3^3 

sented  in  the  Tagalo  language  at  the  Tagalo  theater,  the 
natives,  under  the  influence  of  repeated  references  to  in- 
dependence, became  disorderly. 

"Finally,  quite  carried  away  at  the  sight  of  the  rebel 
flag  on  the  stage,  they  cried  "Vive  Filipinas"  and  *'Vive 
Aguinaldo."  The  police,  who  were  summoned,  restored 
order  and  arrested  the  manager  of  the  theater  and  the 
author  of  the  play. 

'The  latter  is  the  proprietor  of  a  Tagalo  newspaper, 
which  was  recently  warned  to  moderate  its  radical  utter- 
ances. The  American  authorities  had  forbidden  the  pro- 
duction of  the  play." 


CHAPTER   XLIL 

THE  TREATY   OF   PEACE   AND   RELEASE   OF  THE 
FRIARS. 

But  avoiding  all  further  discussicm  as  to  debatable  or 
doubtful  questions  we  ask  attention  to  the  following  from 
Mr.  John  T.  McCutcheon: 

Special  Correspondence  of  the  Chicago  Record. 

"Manila,  January  15,  1900. — All  the  section  in  which 
General  Schwan  was  operating  is  historic  ground,  closely 
associated  with  the  great  revolution  of  1896.  Here  Rizal, 
the  Filipino  martyr,  seeing  his  family  and  his  people  be- 
ing plundered  and  outraged  by  the  friars,  their  rents 
raised  to  extortionate  figures  and  their  lands  confiscated 
for  non-payment  of  rents,  marriage  fees  raised  so  high 
that  poor  people  could  not  marry,  burial  fees  so  great 
that  the  people  were  obliged  to  sacrifice  almost  all  they 
possessed  in  order  to  have  their  dead  interred  in  sancti- 
fied ground — here  Rizal,  a  man  whom  we  must  admire, 
called  on  the  people  to  rise  against  the  avarice  and  in- 
justice of  their  oppressors. 

"That  was  back  in  the  days  long  before  Aguinaldo  was 
a  power.  Rizal  was  a  man  of  moderate  wealth,  who  went 
through  the  College  and  University  of  Manila  and  then 
took  degrees  at  Spanish  and  German  universities.     At 


304       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  foremost  ocuUst  in  the 
east  and  one  of  the  greatest  in  the  world.  In  1888  he 
pubhshed  a  novel  called  'Noli  Me  Tangere'  ('touch  me 
not'),  which  dealt  with  Filipino  problems.  At  a  later 
time,  in  1892,  he  estabhshed  the  'League  Filipino,'  for 
which  he  was  banished  to  Mindanao.  During  the  insur- 
rection of  1896  he  was  brought  to  Manila,  where  he  was 
tried  before  a  court-martial,  charged  with  'rebellion, 
sedition  and  unlawful  association,'  and  executed.  The 
prosecution  charged  him  with  agitation  for  'indepen- 
dence,' but  it  is  probable  that  if  Rizal  had  dreams  of  in- 
dependence it  was  because  he  saw  no  other  means  of 
overthrowing  the  power  of  the  friars. 

"In  1896,  as  in  former  rebellions,  the  one  great  idea  and 
dream  of  the  Filipino  people  was  the  expulsion  of  the 
friars.  In  the  treaty  of  Biacnabato,  in  December,  1897, 
the  Spaniards  agreed  to  grant  reforms  and  faithfully 
promised  to  have  the  friars  sent  away  from  the  islands. 
Greater  influences  were  at  work,  however,  and  the  friars 
were  never  disturbed.  With  the  violation  of  this  treaty 
insurrection  immediately  began  anew  and  Aguinaldo 
came  back  again  in  May,  1898.  All  the  friars  were  cap- 
tured by  the  Filipinos,  and  for  the  first  time  in  history 
the  Filipinos  turned  the  tables  on  their  oppressors.  Now, 
again,  the  scene  is  changed — the  Americans  have  liber- 
ated the  friars  and  the  latter  are  eager  to  get  back  in  the 
provinces  to  have  their  innings  under  the  protection  of 
American  soldiers.  And  then  the  insurrection  will  re- 
ceive new  life  and  the  story  of  bloodshed  will  become 
more  thrilling  than  ever.  Those  who  are  familiar  with 
conditions  in  the  Philippines  cannot  help  but  feel  a  deep 
sympathy  with  the  Filipinos  in  their  fight  against  the 
friars.  In  this  sentiment,  at  least,  all  Filipinos,  good 
and  bad,  are  united. 

"The  anniversary  of  Rizal's  execution,  December  30, 
is  now  observed  as  a  national  holiday  among  Filipinos. 
Out  in  the  churches  of  the  provinces  they  strike  the  bell 
an  extra  stroke  at  6  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

'That's  to  the  memory  of  Rizal,'  they  say." 

The  day  after  Mr.  McCutcheon  wrote  this  letter,  he 


RELEASE  OF  THE  FRIARS.  305 

sent  the  following  special  dispatch  over  his  own  signa- 
ture for  the  Chicago  Record : 

''Copyright,  1900,  by  the  Chicago  Record. 

''Manila,  January  16.— Archbishop  Chappelle's  recep- 
tion, where  the  bishop  of  Manila  and  three  others  as- 
sisted in  receiving  the  guests,  is  occasioning  much  criti- 
cism among  the  Filipinos. 

"The  popular  interpretation  of  Mgr.  Chappelle's  pres- 
ence here  is  that  he  is  President  McKinley's  agent,  sent 
to  rehabilitate  the  friars,  hatred  for  whom  is  the  Filipino 
national  issue. 

"Less  than  half  of  the  fifty  Filipino  families  invited  at- 
tended the  reception,  and  some  of  them  left  the  house 
when  the  bishop  of  Manila  was  discovered  to  be  present." 

The  next  day  the  following  Associated  Press  dispatch 
dated  Manila,  January  17,  1900,  w^as  published  fully  con- 
firming the  former: 

"The  presence  here  of  Archbishop  Chappelle,  the  apos- 
tolic delegate  to  the  Philippines,  is  greatly  stirring  the 
Catholics  of  all  nationalities.  The  FiHpinos  have  gained 
the  impression  that  Mgr.  Chappelle  came  as  the  joint 
agent  of  President  McKinleyand  the  Pope  to  reinstate  the 
friars  in  their  former  power.  One  cause  of  the  excite- 
ment is  a  statement  which  the  Dominicans  furnished  to 
the  Spanish  press  that  Mgr.  Chappelle,  in  visiting  the 
heads  of  the  order,  told  them  he  favored  the  retention 
of  the  brotherhoods  and  that  President  McKinley  shared 
his  views,  w^hich  were  that  "if  the  friars  returned  to  their 
parishes  they  would  be  considered  elements  of  good 
order  and  therefore  American  agents." 

"Mgr.  Chappelle  denies  the  accuracy  of  these  state- 
ments, and  Catholics  of  all  sections  are  petitioning  Mgr. 
Chappelle  and  Major-General  Otis  against  the  friars  re- 
turning to  their  parishes,  repeating  the  charges  of  oppres- 
sions, extortions  and  immoralities,  which,  they  assert, 
caused  the  revolution  of  1896.  The  Catholics  request 
that  they  be  given  priests  not  connected  with  the  brother- 
hoods.   Delegations  from  many  of  the  towns  are  visiting 


306       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  provincial  governors  for  the  purpose  of  making  the 
same  request,  and  prominent  Manila  Catholics  are  cab- 
ling the  Pope  on  the  subject.  The  people  say  the  friars 
will  be  driven  out  if  they  return  to  their  parishes,  and 
there  will  be  continual  trouble  if  the  administration  at- 
tempts to  protect  them. 

*To  quell  the  excitement  Major-General  Otis  con- 
sented to  the  pubHcation  in  the  local  newspapers  of  a 
statement  which  he  had  made  to  a  delegation  of  FiHpinos, 
as  follows: 

*If  the  church  authorities  assign  to  curacies  friars  who 
are  obnoxious  to  the  people  they  will  not  be  compelled 
to  accept  them.  The  individual  liberty  guaranteed  by 
the  American  constitution  will  not  be  denied  the  Filipi- 
nos, and  the  government  will  not  force  on  them  any 
ecclesiastical  denomination  contrary  to  their  wishes.' '' 

These  statements  of  facts  show  us  that  these  Spanish 
friars  have  been  the  cause  of  the  hostile  situation  in  the 
Philippines  both  past  and  present,  and  that  their  threat- 
ened reinstatement  and  retention  in  their  former  Filipino 
parishes,  backed  by  an  American  army,  is  the  real  cause 
of  the  continued  contest  there. 

Upon  page  344  of  Senate  document,  No.  62,  are  stated 
the  terms  of  the  Treaty  of  Biac-Na-Bato  upon  which  the 
Filipinos  promised  peace  in  1896: 

"i.  The  expulsion  or  at  least  the  secularization  of  the 
religious  orders." 

It  is  equivalent  to  the  concluding  clause  adopted  by 
the  Filipino  leaders  in  Manila  on  June  21,  1900,  and  re- 
ported by  cable  as  follows: 

"Seventh — Expulsion  of  the  friars. 

**The  statement  of  the  seventh  (the  concluding)  condi- 
tion was  vociferously  acclaimed,  the  entire  assembly 
shouting,  'Expel!  Expel!'" 

The  present  war  in  the  Philippines  was  and  is  princi- 
pally due  to  the  agreement  by  the  American  government 


RELEASE  OF  THE  FRIARS.  3^7 

in  the  Treaty  of  Peace  to  guarantee  the  unjust  and  unwar- 
rantable release,  return  to  and  retention  in  the  former 
Filipino  parishes  of  these  objectionable  and  pernicious 
foreign  friars,  the  Spanish  priests. 

Their  religious-political  friends  deny  this  of  course. 

This  guarantee  is  given  in  the  6th  and  9th  articles  of 
the  Treaty  of  Peace  between  the  United  States  and  Spain. 

The  6th  article  contains  the  following  clauses: 

(See  Hnes  94  to  loi,  upon  page  8  of  Senate  document. 
No.  62.  part  I  of  the  records  of  the  55th  Congress.) 

''Spain  will  upon  the  signature  of  the  present  treaty, 
release  all  prisoners  of  war,  and  all  persons  detained  or 
imprisoned  for  political  offenses,  in  connection  with  the 
insurrections  in  Cuba  and  the  Philippines  and  the  war 
with  the  United  States. 

"Reciprocally,  the  United  States  will  release  all  per- 
sons made  prisoners  of  war  by  the  American  forces,  and 
will  undertake  to  obtain  the  release  of  all  Spanish  pris- 
oners in  the  hands  of  the  insurgents  in  Cuba  and  the 
Philippines." 

This  article  alone,  the  purport  of  which  was  published 
in  advance  to  the  world,  through  Associated  and  special 
press  reports,  was  fatal  to  any  possible  peaceful  solution 
of  the  Philippine  problem,  as  the  removal  of  these  friars 
from  the  Philippines  was  what  the  Filipinos  had  long 
fought  the  hardest  for. 

''Remove  these  abominations,"  they  say,  "and  we  will 
willingly  accept  United  States  protection  and  suprem- 
acy," General  Otis  declares  in  his  official  report. 

To  show  how  the  American  army  has  been  and  is  still 
fulfilling  the  terms  of  this  treaty  in  relation  to  releasing 
these  friars,  we  quote  from  the  special  correspondence  of 
the  Chicago  Record,  by  Mr.  John  T.  McCutcheon  again, 
under  date  of  Manila,  May  5,  1900,  relating  the  expe- 
riences of  a  relieving  expedition : 


308       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

''We  started  out  of  Baao  in  the  middle  of  the  forenoon. 
Now  from  Baao  to  Iriga  is  five  miles — five  miles  of  broad 
highway  leading  through  pleasant  places  and  by  fair 
lands.  One  might  easily  imagine  himself  journeying 
through  a  garden  or  a  park,  for  by  the  wayside  there 
are  many  gay  little  cottages,  buried  among  bright  hedges 
and  brilliant  flowers,  and  in  many  places  the  road  passes 
through  long,  shady  tunnels  of  graceful  cocoanut  trees, 
which,  waving  gently,  seem  to  fan  the  air  to  a  refreshing 
coolness. 

*'Upon  all  sides  there  are  evidences  of  care  and  cleanli- 
ness and  thrift,  for  the  Bicols  are  an  industrious  people, 
and  they  have  made  the  broad  valley  beautiful  to  see 
and  good  to  live  in.  Ofif  beyond  the  forests  of  palms  one 
occasionally  catches  a  ghmpse  of  the  great  yellow 
stretches  of. ripening  grain  reaching  away  for  miles,  like 
an  immense  body  of  water,  and  still  on  beyond  this 
golden  sea  is  the  blue  range  of  mountains,  which  runs 
from  one  end  of  Luzon  to  the  other.  Droves  of  fat 
Australian  cattle  graze  in  the  fields  and  groves  by  the 
road,  and  bunches  of  agile  goats  scurry  away  from  the 
highway  as  you  pass  along.  The  whole  country  seems 
serene  in  peace  and  plenty,  and  we  soon  realize  more 
than  ever  why  the  Camarines  had  won  their  title,  The 
Storehouses.' 

'This  was  pleasant  campaigning — this  leisurely  saun- 
ter of  the  invaders  into  the  enemy's  country.  It  was  only 
fair  that  it  should  be  pleasant,  for  all  during  the  long, 
hot  hours  of  the  morning  before  those  invaders  had 
climbed  up  and  down  hills  with  the  enemy  in  front  and 
the  blistering  sun  overhead,  both  of  which  were  uncom- 
fortable and  unpleasant. 

"Our  column  grew  in  number  as  it  marched  along. 
Friendly  natives  fell  in  with  the  procession;  some  in  front 
with  the  advance  guard,  some  trailing  by  the  sides  of  the 
companies  and  others  tagging  along  behind. 

''At  noon  we  reached  Iriga,  the  most  beautiful  place  in 
the  Philippines — beautiful  both  because  there  are  splen- 
did mineral  springs  there  and  because  the  insurgents  had 
cleared  out  of  town.    A  great  many  natives  and  Chinese 


RELEASE  OF  THE  FRIARS.  3^9 

came  out  to  greet  us,  and  over  in  the  convent  there  burst 
salvos  of  •joyous  cheers  from  the  twenty-four  Spanish 
friars  who  had  just  been  Hberated.  It  was  a  glad  occa- 
sion for  them. 

"We  also  found  about  twenty-five  Spanish  prisoners 
who  had  escaped  from  the  insurgents  and  had  made  their 
way  successfully  into  Iriga.  They  flocked  over  to  see 
the  colonel  and  give  him  information  regarding  the 
whereabouts  of  the  insurgents." 

These  scenes  are  in  striking  contrast  to  the  stories  of 
terrible  tortures  in  dismal  dungeons  to  which  we  are  told 
Spanish  friars  have  been  subjected  by  the  Filipinos; 
but  this  account  is  confirmed  from  all  sides  by  similar 
statements,  that  these  friars  were  comfortably  kept,  fre- 
quently in  their  convents,  and  comparatively  free  to  come 
and  go,  except  that  they  were  not  allowed  to  escape 
through  the  lines  to  renew  their  former  avocation  as 
friars. 

Archbishop  Chappelle  stated  on  October  23,  1899, 
through  the  public  press,  over  his  official  signature,  as 
follows: 

"For  the  last  eighteen  months  more  than  350  friars 
have  been  undergoing  unheard-of  torture  in  insurgent 
dungeons." 

But  to  return  to  Mr.  McCutcheon'^  account  of  their 
rescue: 

"Down  in  the  plaza  there  was  only  part  of  the  escort 
ready;  none  of  the  bull  carts  were  hitched  up  and  none 
of  the  friars  had  shown  up.  The  latter  had  been  espe- 
cially ordered  by  Coloner  Dorst  to  be  ready  at  4,  but  they 
did  not  begin  to  make  an  appearance  until  5.  Some  of 
them  were  mounted,  some  had  secured  quilezes,  but  fif- 
teen or  eighteen  were  obliged  to  walk. 

"After  the  procession  of  soldiers,  friars,  Spaniards  and 
bull  carts  were  ready  to  march,  Major  Birkhauser  caused 
another  delay  by  forming  the  Spaniards  in  columns  of 


310       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

fours,  a  formation  that  they  kept  for  not  over  five  min- 
utes. 

"But  it  was  a  great  procession  when  it  finally  did  move. 
Many  of  the  friars  had  rolled  up  their  gowns  to  their 
waists,  thereby  obtaining  good  knee  action  for  the  long 
march  to  Nueva  Caceres;  others,  weak  and  emaciated, 
staggered  feebly  along  on  foot,  and  others,  husky  and 
strong,  rode  their  horses  or  journeyed  comfortably  along 
in  their  vehicles.  A-policy  of  every  man  for  himself  seemed 
to  be  the  ruling  one  with  these  friars.  The  Spanish  soldiers 
trudged  cheerfully  along,  picturesque  in  the  costumes 
they  had  picked  up  around  the  country  and  the  fantastic 
beards  they  had  grown  during  their  captivity. 

''We  were  in  Baao  at  9  and  a  loud  clamor  for  food  went 
up  from  the  friars.  Colonel  Dorst  had  sent  a  box  of 
hardtack  to  ration  them  during  their  trip,  and  had  cau- 
tioned them  particularly  to  eat  their  breakfasts  before 
starting  from  Iriga.  This  breakfast  was  to  last  them  to 
Pili,  where  the  hardtack  would  be  issued.  But  no!  they 
wanted  the  hardtack  now.  They  had  not  eaten  any 
breakfast  and  could  go  no  farther  until  they  had  been 
fed. 

"Major  Birkhauser  explained  to  them  the  orders  he 
had  received  from  Colonel  Dorst,  but  that  did  not  abate 
their  clamor  for  immediate  food. 

"  'But  if  I  give  you  the  hardtack  now  you  will  have 
none  in  Pili,  and  you'll  want  it  more  then  than  you  do 
now.' 

"The  spokesrn^an  of  the  friars  said  that  they  would  pre- 
fer to  eat  now  and  worry  later,  and  the  Major  gave  or- 
ders to  issue  the  hardtack  to  them. 

"At  10,  blazing  hot  and  dusty,  the  procession  moved 
on  again  and  by  slow  stages  managed  to  reach  Aldagan, 
the  scene  of  the  hill  fight,  at  i  o'clock.  Here  the  soldiers 
stopped  for  bacon  and  hardtack  and  the  friars  stood  near 
the  little  campfires,  looking  yearningly  at  the  banqueters. 

"Just  beyond  Palestrina  we  stopped  to  rest  our  horses 
near  a  house  in  which  an  old  Filipino  lived.  He  came 
out  and  greeted  us  cordially,  brought  some  young  drink- 
ing cocoanuts,  ofifered  us  vino  and  sent  a  boy  out  to  get 
a  bunch  of  bananas  for  us.    When  we  refused  his  offer  to 


RELEASE  OF  THE  FRIARS.  3^1 

have  the  boy  carry  the  bunch  into  Nueva  Caceres  for  us 
he  was  greatly  surprised.  Then  he  told  us  that  he  knew 
the  Americans  and  liked  them,  for  he  used  to  buy  hemp 
for  the  Boston  firm  of  Russell,  Sturges  &  Co. 

"This  Filipino  was  a  fine  old  man,  although  his  hos- 
pitality was  not  unusual.  The  Filipinos  are  princes  of 
hospitality.  You  may  go  into  any  of  the  rural  sections 
and  the  people  will  offer  you  everything  they  have,  show- 
ing keen  pleasure  if  you  accept  their  hospitality.  It  is 
only  in  the  towns,  when  they  come  in  contact  with  the 
soldiers,  that  this  spirit  is  lacking  and  a  grim  sullenness 
takes  the  place  of  their  natural  cheerfulness. 

''Just  at  dusk  we  rode  into  Nueva  Caceres,  very  hun- 
gry, very  tired,  very  sleepy,  but  glad  that  we  had  gone  on 
the  hike  and  glad  that  it  was  over. 

'The  insurgents  all  arrived  safely  and  at  2:30  the  next 
morning  Captain  Lee  and  his  friars,  Spaniards  and  bull 
carts  came  wearily  into  the  town. 

"John  T.  McCutcheon." 

Under  date  of  Manila,  January  16,  1900,  Mr.  Mc- 
Cutcheon  wrote  of  his  experiences  in  Naic  and  his  Fili- 
pino host  there,  a  devout  Catholic,  as  follows: 

"Our  friend,  the  landlord  and  cook,  was  a  man  of  con- 
siderable intelHgence.  He  was  hospitable  to  the  last  de- 
gree, which  is  a  marked  characteristic  of  all  Filipinos,  and 
he  was  very  sociable.  He  expected  no  pay  for  the  bountiful 
entertainment  that  he  provided  for  us  and  our  ponies,  and 
he  was  overwhelmed  when  we  -compelled  him  to  accept 
a  liberal  remuneration. 

"His  house  and  land,  he  explained,  all  belonged  to 
the  friars.  In  fact,  the  whole  town  was  owned  by  them. 
All  the  natives  were  obliged  to  pay  heavy  rentals  for  their 
property,  and  when  they  themselves  improved  it  the 
friars  promptly  raised  the  rent. 

"  'Are  the  friars  coming  back?'  he  asked,  anxiously, 
and  when  we  said  we  didn't  know  he  crossed  himself  de- 
voutly and  said  he  hoped  they  never  would." 


312       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

CHAPTER  XLITT. 
RETENTION  OF  FRIARS  kx^^^..  ^^^n. 
The  following  special  in  the  Chicago  Record  tells  the 
tale: 

"Washington,  D.  C,  April  12  (1900). — Private  advices 
from  the  Philippine  Islands  report  that  Archbishop  Chap- 
pelle  is  meeting  with  serious  and  perplexing  obstacles 
in  his  efforts  to  reorganize  and  'Americanize'  the  Cath- 
olic church  there,  because  of  the  determination  of  the 
friars,  who  have  hitherto  controlled  secular  as  well  as 
religious  afifairs,  not  to  be  Americanized,  and  the  refusal 
of  the  people  to  tolerate  them.  The  Papal  legation  here 
has  heard  nothing  directly  from  that  source.  Dr.  Chap- 
pelle  is  outside  of  its  jurisdiction  and  under  the  immedi- 
ate orders  of  Cardinal  Rampola,  the  Papal  Secretary  of 
State.  In  fact,  in  his  work  among  the  Philippines,  he 
is  independent  of  the  sacred  propaganda  which  has  con- 
trol of  the  missionary  work  of  the  Catholic  church 
throughout  the  world.  He  occupies  a  sort  of  diplomatic 
relation.  He  was  sent  to  the  Philippines  as  an  ambassa- 
dor to  recommend  measures  for  the  reorganization  of  the 
church,  and  receives  his  instructions  direct. 

"The  monastic  orders  have  been  all  powerful  in  the 
Philippines,  chiefly  the  Augustinian  and  Dominican 
monks.  They  have  not  only  been  the  rectors  of  the  parish 
churches,  but  have  had  charge  of  the  schools  and  all 
other  ecclesiastical  affairs.  The  Jesuits  have  a  university 
and  an  astronomical  observatory,  which  has  a  high  rep- 
utation among  scientific  men  throughout  the  world. 
There  have  been  a  few  secular  priests,  mostly  natives, 
scattered  among  the  different  parishes,  but  they  have 
usually  been  assigned  as  assistants  to  the  friars,  and  have 
been  without  independent  authority.  The  monks  have 
also  exercised  almost  absolute  control  over  civil  affairs, 
the  Governor-General  and  other  Spanish  officials  having 
been  entirely  under  their  influence. 

"By  their  oppression  of  the  natives  the  monastic  or- 
ders were  the  primary  cause  of  the  revolt  against  Spain, 
and  since  American  occupation  it  has  been  reported  fre- 


FRIARS  FATAL  TO  PEACE.  313 

quently  that  before  peace  could  be  secured  the  causes  of 
the  war  must  be  removed,  the  evils  of  the  Spanish  regime 
abolished  and  the  friars  excluded  so  far  as  possible  from 
control.  President  McKinley,  recognizing  this  situa- 
tion, preferred  that  the  reforms  should  be  effected 
through  the  Roman  Catholic  authorities  themselves 
rather  than  by  the  civil  authorities,  and  for  that  reason 
Archbishop  Chappelle  was  sent  to  the  Philippine  Islands 
with  the  peculiar  powers  I  have  described. 

'The  monks  have  been  driven  from  the  provinces  by 
their  former  parishioners,  and  all  who  have  not  actually 
left  the  island  are  collected  in  Manila.  They  dare  not  go 
back  without  assurances  of  military  protection,  which 
General  Otis  has  declined  to  give.  Archbishop  Chap- 
pelle has  been  overwhelmed  with  petitions,  protests  and 
remonstrances  from  all  parts  of  the  country  against  the 
restoration  of  the  friars,  who  are  hated  not  as  priests, 
but  as  padrones,  for  keeping  their  parishioners  in  a  state 
of  servitude.  General  Otis  has  kept  his  hands  ofif  and 
has  left  Archbishop  Chappelle  entirely  free  to  act  accord- 
ing to  his  own  judgment,  although  the  General  has  re- 
fused to  afford  military  support  or  protection  to  the 
friars. 

'The  situation  has  practically  resolved  itself  into  a  re- 
ligious rebellion,  and  the  people  are  now  anxiously  await- 
ing to  see  whether  the  church  authorities  wnll  force  upon 
them  priests  who  are  feared  and  detested." 

The  following,  from  an  Associated  Press  dispatch  from 
the  Philippines,  confirms  the  truth  of  the  last  statement 
from  Washington: 

[By  the  Associated  Press.] 
"Manila,  May  10  (1900). — The  insurgents  have  suf- 
fered a  heavy  loss  at  Tabako,  near  Legaspi,  province  of 
Albay,  Luzon  Two  hundred  riflemen  and  800  bolo- 
men  were  preparing  to  attack  the  town,  and  Captain 
Lester  H.  Simons,  with  a  company  of  the  Forty-seventh 
volunteer  regiment,  advanced  to  meet  them  and  killed 
many.      The    insurgent    leader,    a    native    priest,    was 


314       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

wounded  and  captured  after  his  horse  had  been  shot 
under  him.    Three  Americans  were  wounded." 

Not  only  on  the  field  of  battle,  but  in  the  parishes  and 
papers  of  the  friars,  has  it  become  a  religious  contest,  ac- 
cording to  the  following  Manila  editorials,  of  same  date  as 
the  foregoing: 

"Archbishop  Chappelle  started  a  paper  in  his  diocese 
of  New  Orleans,  and  his  paper  has  been  publishing  sad 
stories  of  the  horrors  of  'mixed  marriages'  between  Prot- 
estants and  Catholics.  And  now  'Libertas,'  the  friar  or- 
gan in  Manila,  has  been  copying  these  tales  of  woe  from 
Chappelle's  paper.  It  is  not  easy  to  see  how  a  CathoHc 
priest  can  know  anything  about  marriage,  or  the  motives 
of  it,  or  the  conditions  that  make  it  a  success  or  a  failure." 

"Archbishop  Chappelle  should  remind  'Libertas'  that 
newspapers  ought  not  to  meddle  in  religious  matters — 
especially  when  they  don't  know  how  to  do  it  well." 

"The  friars'  newspaper  denies  that  the  friars  are  op- 
posing the  government;  but  it  again  asserts,  in  efifect, 
that  the  order  of  General  Otis  about  civil  marriage  is  not 
worth  the  paper,  he  wrote  it  on." 

It  seems  however,  that  the  censorship  has  a  hand  in 
this  fight,  both  on  the  battlefield  and  in  the  press,  from 
the  following: 

"Sr.  Escalera  and  Sr.  Delpan,  of  the  Trogreso,'  have 
been  bound  over  in  the  sum  of  $50  each  not  to  go  fight- 
ing the  reverend  rascals  of  the  'Libertas,'  and  the  two 
gentlemen  publish  an  acknowledgment  of  the  kindness 
of  their  brother  journalists  in  raising  the  amount.  It  is 
comforting  to  know  that  there  is  so  much  money  among 
newspaper  men  in  Manila." 

We  call  attention  to  the  following  little  straw  to  be 
found  in  the  "City  News"  of  the  New  Orient,  under 
date  of  Manila,  January  27,  1900,  showing  how  the  wind 
was  blowing  then: 

"A  petition  has  been  received  by  Archbishop  Chap- 


CHAPPELLE   FAVORS   FRIARS.  315 

pelle,  signed  by  loi  citizens  of  Malibay,  and  urging 
against  the  appointment  of  Spanish  friars  to  their 
churches." 

It  is  both  impossible  and  impoHtic  to  pubhsh  all  the 
fiery  appeals  of  patriotic  papers  upon  these  points,  but 
we  give  the  following  from  the  New  Orient  of  Manila,  of 
January  20,  i960,  which  shows  how  the  native  Filipinos 
feel  upon  these  all-important  topics: 

"Since  the  arrival  of  Archbishop  Chappelle  the  various 
Catholic  adherents  and  supporters  have  been  active,  and 
old  feuds,  dislikes  and  hates  have  reawakened  into  life. 
The  Spanish  papers  and  people  of  Quiapo  are  up  in 
arms  protesting  against  the  probable  stay  of  the  order 
of  friars. 

''  'La  Patria'  gives  vent  to  some  very  unequivocal 
statements  denouncing  the  order  of  friars  in  no  uncer- 
tain terms.  In  the  leading  editorial  an  eloquent  arraign- 
ment of  the  friars  is  given,  and  they  are  held  up  to  pub- 
licity in  the  most  uncompromising  and  uncomplimentary 
terms.  The  'Grito  del  Pueblo,'  the  bi-lingual  paper, 
printed  in  Spanish  and  Tagalo,  also  in  a  leader,  scathingly 
denounces  the  friars  for  their  past  iniquities  and  vehe- 
mently protests  against  their  retention,  stating  that  the 
deep,  undying  hatred  in  which  the  Filipino  people  hold 
the  friars  will  always  be  an  unsurmountable  obstacle  to 
the  peaceful  organization  and  maintenance  of  the  Catho- 
lic church. 

''Archbishop  Chappelle  has  already  intimated  that  the 
friars  will  be  retained.  The  Catholics  of  the  district  of 
Santa  Cruz  at  once  took  alarm  and  labored  hard  in  get- 
ting up  a  petition  to  be  presented  to  the  Apostolic  Dele- 
gate, praying  that  their  earnest  protest  should  be  heard, 
and  the  contemplated  retention  of  the  friars  revoked. 
Not  satisfied  with  petitioning  Mgr.  Chappelle,  they  also 
sent  a  petition  to  use  his  high  office  in  unseating,  per- 
manently, the  friars. 

"While  it  is  against  the  spirit  and  letter  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States  to  interfere  in  religious 
difficulties,  sooner  or  later  the  bitter  strife  now  raging  in 


3i6       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Catholic  circles  will  invade  the  sanctity  of  the  State  De- 
partment and  demand  attention.  From  the  evidence  ob- 
tained it  appears  that  the  Catholic  authorities  wish  to 
make  the  Filipinos  accept  exactly  what  they  do  not 
wish,  and  both  sides  are  already  asking  the  civil  author- 
ity vested  here  to  be  the  arbitrator  of  the  church's  future 
servants." 

The  following  Associated  Press  dispatch  shows  plainly 
how  the  Filipino  people  feel  toward  the  friars : 

"Manila,  January  24,  9  a.  m. — Archbishop  Chappelle, 
Papal  Delegate  to  the  Philippines,  gave  a  reception  to 
the  Catholic  clergy  and  laymen  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
ciliating the  opposing  factions.  Many  prominent  Fili- 
pinos attended,  with  a  view  of  making  a  demonstration 
against  the  friars.  They  hooted  Archbishop  Nozaleda 
and  every  friar  who  appeared. 

"On  the  other  hand,  General  Otis,  who  attended  with 
his  staff,  was  cheered.  Mgr.  Chappelle  made  a  speech, 
asking  for  toleration  and  patience  and  promising  a  satis- 
factory settlement  of  the  questions  in  dispute.  He  re- 
buked the  newspapers  for  meddling  with  matters  which 
he  said  they  did  not  understand." 

On  the  same  date  the  following  letter  appeared  in 
the  Chicago  Record  from  its  special  correspondent  at 
the  capital: 

"Washington,  D.  C,  January  23  (1900). — There  is  a 
complete  understanding  between  the  government  and 
Archbishop  Chappelle  concerning  church  afifairs  in  the 
Philippines.  He  has  gone  there  as  the  representative 
of  the  Pope  for  the  purpose  of  reorganizing  the  Catholic 
church  upon  the  same  basis  that  exists  in  the  United 
States,  and  General  Otis  is  thoroughly  informed  of  his 
mission  and  of  the  policy  he  is  directed  to  pursue.  There- 
fore there  seems  to  be  no  occasion  for  any  misunder- 
standing either  by  the  natives  of  those  islands  or  the 
people  of  the  United  States.  There  is  no  intention  on 
the  part  of  our  government  to  confiscate  or  occupy  with- 


ECCLESIASTICAL  COURTS.  317 

out  fair  remuneration  any  property  belonging  to  the 
church,  but  the  estates  and  other  property  belonging  to 
the  religious  orders,  or  whose  title  is  in  the  name  of  the 
Bishop,  will  be  taxed  like  any  other  property.  The  only 
exception  will  be  such  property  as  is  actually  used  for 
worship  or  for  educational  purposes.  There  wilf  be  no 
objection  to  the  friars'  remaining  in  the  Philippines,  pro- 
vided they  do  not  interfere  with  political  and  civil  af- 
fairs, and  confine  their  activity  exclusively  to  ecclesias- 
tical matters.  The  schools  will  be  secularized,  although 
there  will  be  no  objection  to  the  establishment  of  Cath- 
olic schools,  provided  the  church  or  the  people  prefer  to 
maintain  them.  No  public  money  will  be  given  to  the 
support  of  any  sectarian  institutions,  either  educational 
or  benevolent,  and  the  priests  will  not  be  allowed  any 
other  privileges  or  immunities  than  they  enjoy  in  this 
country.  In  short,  Archbishop  Chappelle  understands 
and  agrees  that  there  is  to  be  an  entire  separation  of  the 
church  from  civil  affairs  and  the  same  freedom  of  wor- 
ship and  religious  instruction  that  exists  in  this  country." 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

CHAPPELLE  SEEKS  TO  RE-ESTABLISH  ECCLESIAS- 
TICAL   COURTS. 

It  seems  that  somehow  there  must  have  been  a  mis- 
understanding or  mistake  as  to  "reorganizing  the  Cath- 
olic church  upon  the  same  basis  that  exists  in  the  United 
States,"  as  the  following  cablegram  would  seem  to  indi- 
cate: 

[Copyright,  1900,  by  the  Chicago  Record.] 

"Manila,  January  24. — The  Filipino  Supreme  Court 
is  strongly  resentful  toward  Mgr.  Chappelle,  Papal 
Delegate  to  the  Philippines,  because  he  is  making  an  at- 
tempt to  bring  about  a  reorganization  of  the  ecclesiastical 
court. 

"Mgr.  Chappelle  declares  that  ecclesiastics  should  by 
right  be  brought  only  before  an  ecclesiastical  tribunal. 

"John  T.  McCutcheon." 


3i8       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Mgr.  Chappelle  may  be  as  much  of  a  claimant  as  his 
friends  the  friars,  but  he  cannot  claim  that  ecclesiastical 
courts  are  allowed  to  usurp  the  place  of  civil  courts  in 
America,  and  it  is  claiming  too  much  to  say  that  they 
should  elsewhere  under  our  flag. 

To  refer  to  the  testimony  of  our  Roman  CathoHc 
authority,  Mr.  John  Foreman,  upon  this  point  of  eccle- 
siastical courts,  as  presented  by  him  to  the  Paris  Peace 
Commissioners,  we  turn  to  pages  589  and  590  of  Senate 
Document  No.  62  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Congress  and  find  the 
following: 

''Manila  is  an  archbishopric  and  there  are  six  provin- 
cial bishoprics.  The  total  number  of  parishes  will  be 
about  620,  of  which  the  friars  hold  about  95  per 
cent.  As  parish  priest  the  Spanish  friar  is  beyond  all  con- 
trol of  the  civil  government.  He  can  neither  sue  nor  be 
sued.  He  is  quite  independent  of  all  state  authority.  He 
may  prove  to  be  the  vilest  criminal  with  all  impunity. 
His  superiors  would  pretend  to  punish  him,  but  they 
would  never  expel  him;  they  are  themselves  sheep  who 
protect  their  own  lambs." 

To  illustrate  the  kind  of  justice  dealt  out  by  ecclesias- 
tical courts  in  the  Philippines  in  the  past,  Mr.  Foreman 
has  related  the  following  incidents,  which  show  how 
little  regard  these  courts  have  had  for  any  of  the  laws  of 
justice,  right  or  decency,  and  why  all  men  ought  to  op- 
pose such  an  abhorrent  institution,  as  all  intelligent  FiH- 
pinos  do: 

"The  mysterious  deaths  of  General  Solano  (in  August, 
i860)  and  of  Tamora,  the  bishop-elect  of  Cebu  (in  1873) 
occurred  so  opportunely  for  Philippine  monastic  ambi- 
tion that  little  doubt  existed  in  the  public  mind  as  to  who 
were  the  real  criminals.  When  I  first  arrived  in  Manila, 
nearly  twenty  years  ago,  a  fearful  crime  was  being  com- 
mented on.  Father  Piernavieja,  formerly  parish  priest 
of  San  Miguel  de  Mayumo,  had  recently  committed  a 


ECCLESIASTICAL  CRIMES.  319 

second  murder.  His  first  victim  was  a  native  youth,  his 
second  a  native  woman.  The  public  voice  could  not  be 
raised  very  loudly  there  against  the  priests,  but  the  scan- 
dal was  so  great  that  the  criminal  friar  was  sent  to  an- 
other province — Cavite — where  he  still  celebrated  the 
holy  sacrifice  of  the  Eucharist.  Nearly  two  decades  after- 
ward— in  January,  1897 — this  rascal  met  with  a  terrible 
death  at  the  hands  of  the  rebels.  He  was  in  captivity, 
and,  having  been  appointed  'bishop'  in  a  school  diocese, 
to  save  his  life  he  accepted  the  monk  dignity,  but, 
unfortunately  for  himself,  he  betrayed  the  con- 
fidence of  his  captors  and  collected  informa- 
tion concerning  their  movements,  plans  and  strong- 
holds, for  remittance  to  his  community.  In  ex- 
piation of  his  treason  he  was  bound  to  a  post  under  the 
tropical  sun  and  left  there  to  die.  See  how  the  public  in 
Spain  are  gulled!  In  a  Malaga  newspaper  this  individual 
was  referred  to  as  a  Venerable  figure,'  worthy  of  being 
placed  high  up  *on  an  altar,  before  which  all  Spaniards 
should  prostrate  themselves  and  adore  him.  As  a  reli- 
gious man  he  was  a  most  worthy  minister  of  the  Lord; 
as  a  patriot  he  was  a  hero.' " 

To  continue  Mr.  Foreman's  testimony  so  as  to  get  an 
intelligent  Romanist's  idea  of  the  friar  of  the  Philippines, 
we  quote  again  from  page  590  of  Senate  Document 
No.  62: 

"He  acts,  however,  as  voluntary  (and  very  willing) 
government  agent.  He  meddles  in  every  public  affair  of 
the  township  by  recognized  right.  If  he  cannot  have 
things  all  his  own  way  and  influence  every  public  act, 
from  the  election  of  native  headman  downward,  he  sin- 
gles out  for  revenge  all  those  who  have  outvoted  him. 
And  this  is  generally  what  happens,  at  one  time  or  an- 
other, in  half  the  parishes.  If  a  young  man  who  has  been 
educated  in  Manila  or  Hongkong  returns  to  his  native 
town  with  somewhat  advanced  ideas,  or  merely  salutes 
the  priest  as  a  gentleman  instead  of  kissing  his  hand  as 
his  spiritual  father,  he,  too,  is  marked  for  social  ruin  one 
day.    The  father  of  a  family  of  attractive  daughters  has 


320       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

also  to  be  careful  lest  the  charms  of  his  offspring  bring 
about  his  own  fall.  In  short,  in  one  way  or  another,  the 
native  who  possesses  anything  worth  having  has  either 
to  yield  to  the  avarice,  lust  or  insolence  of  the  Spanish 
priest,  or  to  risk  losing  his  liberty  and  position  in  life. 
The  parish  priest  has  simply  to  address  what  is  called  an 
'oficio'  (official  advice)  to  the  Governor  of  a  province, 
who  remits  it  to  the  Governor-General,  stating  that  he 
has  reason  to  believe  that  the  individuals  mentioned  in 
the  margin  are  persons  of  doubtful  morality,  or  conspir- 
ators, or  disloyal,  or  whatever  he  may  choose  to  dub 
them,  and  recommend  their  removal  from  his  parish. 
In  due  course  a  couple  of  civil  guards  will  suddenly  ap- 
pear at  the  door  of  each  named  individual.  Without  war- 
rant or  explanation  of  any  kind  further  than  'by  order 
of  the  Governor,'  he  is  marched  ofif  to  the  capital  town 
and  cast  into  prison.  Later  on  he  is  sent  up  to  Manila, 
and  without  trial  or  even  defined  sentence,  he  is  ban- 
ished to  a  far  distant  island. 

''In  1896  I  met  three  old  friends  of  mine  on  board  a 
steamer,  who  were  being  transported  in  precisely  similar 
circumstances.  I  could  hardly  believe  my  own  eyes. 
They  were  well-to-do  planters,  and  the  last  time  I  saw 
them  prior  to  this  occasion  I  was  the  guest  of  one  of 
them  in  their  town  of  Taal  (Batangas  Province).  His 
well-served  table,  his  carriage  and  horses,  had  been  at 
my  disposal.  Now  alas!  I  found  these  men  treated  as 
criminals,  with  iron  anklets  slipped  on  one  iron  bar  and 
padlocked.  They  were  on  the  upper  deck,  exposed  to  the 
rain,  sun  and  heavy  dews  day  and  night.  All  I»could  do 
for  them  was  to  secretly  supply  them  with  food  and 
clothing.  In  the  law  courts  nothing  can  be  obtained  with- 
out 'greasing  the  palm,'  and  then  it  only  brings  a  sentence 
with  a  loophole  for  reopening  the  case  when  the  judge 
likes.  The  same  system  of  'squeeze'  obtains  in  all  the 
government  departments,  from  the  half  dollar  slipped 
into  the  hand  of  the  native  scrivener  to  the  thousand 
dollars  or  more  quietly  laid  on  the  table  of  the  dignified 
holder  of  the  scales  of  justice. 

"From  the  preceding  facts  it  may  almost  be  surmised 
what  are  the  causes  of  the  rebellion.    The  movement  had 


NOZALEDA'S    DEMANDS.  321 

for  its  object  (i)  the  expulsion  of  the  monastic  orders, 
(2)  the  aboHtion  of  the  Governor-General's  arbitrary 
power  to  banish  without  accusation,  trial  or  sentence,  (3) 
restoration  to  the  natives  of  the  lands  held  by  the  reli- 
gious orders,  (4)  a  limitation  of  the  arbitrary  powers  of 
the  civil  guard,  (5)  no  arrest  without  judge's  warrant,  (6) 
abolition  of  the  fifteen  days  per  annum  compulsory  la- 
bor." 

These  are  the  just  claims  of  the  Filipinos,  which  were 
agreed  to  by  the  Spaniards  in  the  treaty  of  Biac-na-Bato 
in  1896.  But  no  sooner  had  Aguinaldo  and  his  follow- 
ers fulfilled  their  part  of  the  treaty  by  laying  down  their 
arms  than  the  Spaniards  broke  faith  with  them. 


CHAPTER   XLV. 

NOZALEDA   DEMANDS   CONTINUATION  OF   FRIAR 
DOMINATION. 

An  Associated  Press  dispatch,  dated  Manila,  January 
10,  1900,  contained  the  following,  which  is  interesting  as 
giving  the  friars'  point  of  view: 

'Tt  is  asserted  on  high  authority  that  Archbishop  Noz- 
aleda  contends  in  his  interviews  with  Mgr.  Chapelle,  the 
Papal  Delegate  on  behalf  of  the  Roman  church  and  the 
brotherhoods,  that  the  titles  to  all  property  held  by  the 
church  and  the  brotherhoods  in  the  Philippines  should 
be  recognized;  that  the  Roman  catechism  should  be 
taught  in  the  primary  schools;  that  the  existing  religious 
orders  should  continue  to  administer  the  parishes;  that 
other  parishes  should  be  established  under  the  same  con- 
trol, and  that  the  parochial  control  of  cemeteries  should 
continue. 

"He  also  lays  stress  in  his  contentions  upon  the  impor- 
tance of  allowing  the  church  to  administer  its  own  affairs 
without  state  interference ;  upon  the  necessity  of  a  regime 
that  will  guarantee  the  liberty  of  the  church ;  upon  the  de- 
sirability of  European  clergy,  the  establishment  of  a  new 
college  for  the  instruction  of  nafi^^p  priests  and  the  con- 


322       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

tinuation  of  indirect  contributions  for  the  maintenance 
of  churches  and  clergy,  and  upon  the  expediency  of  main- 
taining the  system  of  parochial  fees,  including  revenues 
from  births,  marriages,  funerals,  dispensations  and  apos- 
tolic indulgences. 

*'In  addition,  Archbishop  Nozaleda  advises  the  contin- 
uance of  the  church's  control  of  pawnshops  and  certain 
designated  hospitals  and  schools,  together  with  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  special  form  of  parochial  administra- 
tion exacted  by  the  actual  conditions  in  the  Philippines." 

The  words  "without  state  interference"  seem  to  mean 
freedom  for  the  friars  to  do  as  they  have  done  hereto- 
fore, if  they  please,  with  impunity. 

The  words  "the  continuation  of  indirect  contributions 
for  the  maintenance  of  church  and  clergy"  seem  to  mean, 
and  certainly  imply,  state  support. 

We  are  informed  that  the  United  States  government 
has  paid  $12,000  to  the  Archbishop  for  rental  of  one  mon- 
astery per  annum,  being  the  exact  amount  of  his  former 
salary,  and  that  it  has  paid  rental  for  other  property, 
which,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  treaty  of  peace,  was 
purchased,  by  the  United  States  of  the  Crown  of  Spain, 
to  which  it  belonged  by  Spanish  law.  This  looks  more 
like  direct  than  "indirect"  support  of  the  church. 

Upon  the  point  of  "parochial  administration"  we  would 
refer  the  reader  to  the  statement  of  our  Roman  Catholic 
writer,  Mr.  John  Foreman,  to  be  found  on  page  589  of 
Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2,  Records  of  the  Fifty- 
fifth  Congress,  in  which  he  says:  "The  real  rulers  of 
the  islands  are  the  four  corporations  of  friars — namely, 
the  Austin,  Dominican,  Franciscan  and  Recoleto  orders" 
— as  an  explanation  of  this  "special  parochial  administra- 
tion." 

In  regard  to  this  sort  of  administration  the  editor  of 
"The  New  Orient,"  in  its  issue  for  February  17,  1900, 
wrote  as  follows: 


RELIGIOUS  ORDERS  RULED.  323 

"It  was  nominally  the  Spanish  government,  but  in  re- 
ality it  was  the  Catholic  church  and  the  societies  which 
ramify  from  it,  which  did  the  governing.  These  guarded 
their  fold  jealously,  and  no  other  religions  were  allowed 
to  creep  in.  Individuals  professing  other  faiths  were  not, 
perhaps,  absolutely  excluded,  but  they  were  discouraged 
in  every  way  possible,  and  such  person  had  small  chance 
of  success  here.  In  addition  to  this,  anything  which  sa- 
vored of  enterprise  was  looked  upon  with  suspicion  and 
distrust." 

To  turn  again  to  the  ofificial  records,  we  find  upon 
pages  457,  458  and  459  of  Pu"blic  Document  No.  62,  part 
2,  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Congress,  the  following*  questions 
and  answers  in  the  oral  examination  of  our  Roman  Cath- 
olic authority,  Mr.  John  Foreman,  before  the  Paris  Peace 
Commission : 

'The  chairman : 

"Q.  I  think  you  stated  in  your  book  that  about  seven- 
tenths  of  the  revenues  of  the  island  are  turned  over  to  the 
church.    How  is  that? 

"Mr.  Foreman  replied,  reading  from  an  article  he  had 
written  previously,  in  the  following  words: 

"  'The  total  revenues  for  the  island,  estimated  for  1896, 
were,  in  round  numbers,  86,000,000  pesetas.  If  you  di- 
vide this  by  ten  it  will  give  the  amount  in  gold  dollars, 
or  $8,600,000.' 

"Mr.  Gray: 

"Q.  That  is  the  real  value?  A.  In  gold. 

"Mr.  Davis: 

"Q.  About  twice  that  in  silver?  A.  Yes,  sir.  The  dis- 
bursements to  be  made  included  the  following  items — 
viz:  These  are  the  actual  figures  for  1896-97.  I  will  give 
it  in  pesetas 

"Mr.  Davis: 

"Q.  Where  do  you  derive  that?  A.  From  statistics  sent 
me  from  Madrid  for  the  purposes  of  my  literary  work. 
To  the  clergy;  I  suppose  we  might  call  it  an  allowance 
made  by  the  government  to  the  clergy;  general  allow- 


324       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

ance,  7,000,000  pesetas  out  of  a  total  of  86,000,000  pese- 
tas 

"Mr.  Gray: 

*'Q.  Seven  hundred  thousand  dollars?  A.  Yes,  sir.  For 
'the  Franciscan  College  in  Spain,  and  passages  of  priests 
from  Spain  to  the  islands,  275,000  pesetas,  or  $27,500 
gold.  For  the  maintenance  of  Manila  Cathedral,  294,000 
pesetas,  or  $29,400  in  gold.  For  the  maintenance  of  the 
Choir  School,  20,000  pesetas,  $2,000  gold.  Total,  7,589,- 
000  pesetas,  or  $758,900  gold.' 

"  'Besides  the  above  amounts  paid  direct  to  the  clergy, 
the  sums  extorted  by  the  priests  for  marriages,  sale  of 
indulgences,  feasts,  masses,  burials,  baptisms,  scapula- 
ries,  etc.,  are  estimated  at  about  10,000,000  pesetas,  or 
$1,000,000  gold.' 

"  There  is  another  way  the  priests  will  get  money  out 
of  the  people.  They  will  say  that  the  Feast  of  Our  Lady 
So  and  So  is  to  take  place.  *  *  *  '<j  sl^^U  \qq]^  ^q 
you  to  pay  something  to  it."  *  *  *  Xhey  will  finally 
squeeze  out  anything,  up  to  $500.  How  the  money  goes 
nobody  knows.'  " 

Mr.  Foreman  expresses  the  sentiments  of  many  who, 
like  himself,  being  loyal  to  the  church,  wish  it  well,  but 
abominate  the  confidence  games  perpetrated  upon  the 
people,  thus: 

"The  sale  of  masses  is  a  very  old  established  custom 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  but  it  never  appeared  to 
me  in  so  practical  and  business-like  a  light  as  when  in 
Pasacao,  on  the  23d  of  December,  1886,  I  heard  a  cer- 
tain Father  Carlos,  who  was  going  to  Spain  on  a  special 
mission,  strike  a  serious  bargain  with  a  Spaniard  residmg 
in  Nueva  Caceres.  The  priest  proposed  to  send  to  his 
friend  a  ham  from  Gallicia  for  every  ten  mass  orders  he 
received  from  him.  The  bargain  being  accepted,  he  at 
once  proceeded  to  calculate  the  cost  of  the  ham  and  the 
value  of  the  fees  of  ten  masses,  chuckling  over  the  net 
profits  in  perspective." 

Upon  the  first  page  of  "The  New  Orient"  of  Manila 


FIGHTING  FRIAR  FRAUDS.  3^5 

for    February  3,  1900,  we  find  the  following,  in  "City 
News": 

"A  protest  has  been  filed  against  the  probating  of  the 
will  of  Alejandro  Moveno.  This  will  gave  a  property 
valued  at  $6,000  to  the  friars,  on  condition  that  they  re- 
leased from  purgatory  the  soul  of  the  testator's  father. 
The  protest  asks  that  the  friars  be  compelled  to  prove 
that  they  have  delivered  the  goods  according  to  con- 
tract." 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 
FRUITS  OF  FRIAR  CORRUPTION. 

Evidently  the  friars  do  not  favor  "a  free  salvation" 
any  more  than  they  favor  freedom  in  other  affairs, 
for  any  but  themselves,  and  probably  with  about  the 
same  ''patriotic"  motives  that  move  many  Americans  in 
their  mercenary  so-called  "patriotism."  Certainly  there 
seems  a  strong  bond  of  sympathy  between  them. 

Mr.  Foreman's  statement  that  "the  sums  extorted  by 
the  priests  for  marriages,  sale  of  indulgences,  feasts, 
masses,  burials,  baptisms,  scapularies,  etc.,  are  estimated 
at  about  10,000,000  pesetas,  or  $1,000,000  gold,"  makes 
it  perfectly  plain  why  the  Archbishop  demands  "the  con- 
tinuation of  the  system  of  parochial  fees,  including  rev- 
enues from  births,  marriages,  funerals,  dispensations,  in- 
dulgences," etc.,  and  shows  one  of  the  reasons  why  the 
Filipinos  oppose  the  Spanish  priests. 

But  these  matters  are  mere  pittances  as  compared  to 
the  ''tithes,"  or  rentals,  to  say  nothing  of  the  original  rob- 
bery of  lands. 

The  latter,  great  as  they  are,  cannot  be  taken  into  ac- 
count when  compared  with .  the  wholesale  system  of 
blackmail. 

But  blackest  of  all  are  the  lives  of  licentiousness,  blast- 
ing purity  and  peace,  and  poisoning  national  life. 


326       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Of  course  the  outcry  will  be  raised  that  all  this  is  past, 
as  Spanish  power  is  broken  and  American  authority  is 
estabHshed. 

We  wish  to  say  this  is  what  broke  the  power  of  Spain 
and  will  break  the  power  of  America,  if  allowed  to  re- 
main as  before. 

Heretofore  upon  the  death  of  parents,  the  church 
authorities  have  assumed  control  of  their  estates,  when 
they  could,  with  the  understanding  that  the  interest  there- 
on would  go  to  the  church,  in  consideration  of  the  care 
and  education  of  the  children  till  they  became  of  age, 
when,  as  heirs,  they  should  receive  the  principal. 

Already  a  number  of  cases  have  come  up  in  the  Amer- 
ican courts  asking  that  the  priests  be  obliged  to  turn  over 
property  thus  appropriated,  "for  the  church,"  which  they 
have  refused  to  make  over  to  the  rightful  owners,  when, 
as  heirs,  becoming  of  age,  they  should  receive  it  from  the 
friars,  acting  as  their  guardians,  or  trustees. 

A  curious  case  illustrating  the  looseness  or  immorality, 
allowed  or  encouraged,  by  these  friars,  for  a  considera- 
tion or  contribution,  was  related  to  the  writer  by  a  friend 
just  returned  from  the  Philippines,  as  follows: 

"A  man  of  means  died  in  Bacalor,  the  capital  of  Pam- 
panga  province,  in  April,  1900,  and  beside  his  estate,  left 
six  legal  widows  and  seventy-eight  legal  children.  When- 
ever he  had  wanted  a  new  wife,  by  making  liberal  con- 
tribution to  the  church,  he  obtained  a  permit  or  indul- 
gence or  dispensation.  These  various  branches  of  his 
family  flourished  on  separate  farms  near  Bacalor,  and 
about  the  age  of  fifty  he  died,  with  wife  number  one. 

"His  name  was  Castro,  and  she  lived  in  a  fine  home  on 
one  of  his  farms  about  three  miles  from  Bacalor,  at  a 
place  called  Guagua." 

Another  illustration  of  the  vicious  character  of  the 
friars,   who   control   church   afifairs   in   the   Philippines, 


JP'RUITS  OF  FRIAR  CORRUPTION.  3^7 

comes  to  us  through  a  former  editor  of  the  Manila  Free- 
dom, confirmed  by  the  following  account  from  that  paper 
under  date  of  August  2,  1900,  for  which  he  vouches,  as 
familiar  with  the  facts : 

A  priest  had  fallen  in  love  with  a  fair  Filipino  lady,  who 
had  reciprocated  his  affections,  and  fallen  otherwise,  in 
consequence,  but  some  American  friends  suggested  a 
marriage  to  make  matters  right,  and  the  priest,  desirous 
of  doing  right,  determined  to  make  amends,  as  The  Free- 
dom relates  thus: 

""The  friar  was  much  impressed  and  repented.  He 
loved  the  woman  whom  he  had  led  astray  and  wanted  to 
do  the  right  thing.  Filled  with  remorse  he  attempted  to 
give  up  his  mistress,  but  it  was  too  much  for  him,  and 
he  decided  to  go  and  tell  his  troubles  to  his  superior. 

"It  would  have  been  better  for  him  to  have  told  them  to 
a  policeman,  for  his  superior  bundled  him  ofif  to  Spain 
and  worked  the  gold  brick  game  on  him.  He  told  the 
superior  that  he  had  decided  to  marry  the  woman,  quit 
the  church  and  support  himself  by  working  at  the  watch- 
making trade. 

*The  superior  saw  it  would  not  do  to  have  a  reformed 
friar  loose  in  Manila  and  sent  him  to  Spain  on  some 
weak  pretext.  He  gave  him  an  order  for  money  and  also 
a  letter  of  introduction.  The  order  turned  out  to  be 
bogus  and  the  letter  he  gave  the  superior  in  Spain  said 
that  the  bearer  was  a  black  sheep  that  must  be  muzzled. 
Fernandez  is  now  in  Spain  and  will  have  to  stay  there, 
for  he  has  not  enough  money  to  get  back.  The  Reccol- 
ectus  could  not  afiford  to  have  the  many  dark  secrets  and 
scandals  exposed  in  Manila  at  this  time.  A  few  years  ago 
it  would  have  been  different,  for  the  removal  of  a  con- 
scientious friar  was  an  easy  matter.  There  is  a  marked 
progress  in  religious  liberty  in  Manila,  and  there  will  be 
a  great  deal  more,  with  an  education  that  goes  beyond 
the  catechism  of  the  names  of  the  saints." 

Probably  these  priests  would  think  American  public 


328       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

schools  bad  enough,  but  what  if  the  Bible  was  spread 
broadcast! 

On  page  558  of  Senate  Document  No.  62  is  a  review  of 
a  statement  made  by  Mr.  Isaac  M.  Elliott,  American 
Consul  at  Manila  from  1893  to  1896.  It  says:  ''Mr.  El- 
liott puts  the  case  in  a  nutshell  when  he  says  that  the 
church  lives  ofif  the  natives.  *  *  *  There  are  ninety- 
nine  pubHc  holidays  observed  every  year,  in  addition  to 
the  fifty-two  Sundays.  The  church  is  immensely  rich, 
but  although  it  plunders  the  natives,  Mr.  Elliott  admits 
that  it  has  been  a  civilizing  feature." 

On  page  323  of  this  same  document  is  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Williams  to  Mr.  Day,  then  Secretary  of  State,  dated 
'Manila,  March  31,  1898,  in  part  as  follows: 

"On  Friday  morning,  March  25,  a  legal  holiday,  un- 
armed natives  were  holding  a  meeting  near  my  consulate. 
The  building  was  surrounded  by  police  and  the  suspicious 
military,  the  meeting  broken  up,  twelve  natives  shot  to 
death,  several  wounded  and  sixty-two  prisoners  taken, 
certain  of  whom  were  mere  passers-by,  not  having  at- 
tended the  meeting.  The  next  morning  these  sixty-two 
prisoners,  without  form  of  trial,  were  marched  in  a  body 
to  the  cemetery  and  all  shot  to  death. 

"Hardly  a  day  passes  without  such  scenes  of  middle- 
age  treachery  and  barbarity.  A  recent  uprising  at  Cape 
Bolinao,  on  the  northwest  coast  of  the  island  (Luzon), 
about  300  miles  from  Manila,  was  crushed  by  the  united 
action  of  two  regiments  of  infantry,  aided  by  the  battle- 
ship Don  Juan  de  Austria.  A  British  shipmaster  there 
at  the  time  reports  about  forty  killed  and  forty  wounded. 
After  surrender  the  Spaniards  put  dead  and  wounded 
together  in  a  house  and  by  burning  it  cremated  all. 

'Tn  the  old  walls  of  'walled  Manila,'  built  about  300 
years  ago,  are  said  to  be  several  'black  hole'  dungeon 
prisons,  in  which  incarceration  is  almost  sure  death.  Two 
of  these,  both  of  which  I  have  seen,  with  apertures  at 
summit  of  wall,  have  floors  below  low  tide,  so  two  or 
three  feet  of  slime,  mud  and  water  floor  the  dungeons. 


INQUISITION  FOR  ACQUISITION.  3^9 

In  these  hundreds  of  so-called  insurgents  have  lately 
been  placed  and  all  drowned  by  rising  tide.  No  judge,  no 
jury — simply  hate,  suspicion,  treachery.  Of  this  several 
reports  have  been  made  to  me,  one  that  above  two  hun- 
dred victims  were  counted  in  one  of  these  prisons.  No 
reliance  can  be  placed  upon  the  public  press.  Censorship 
is  rigid,  and  the  oldest  daily  there.  El  Diario  de  Manila, 
and  another  have  been  suspended  by  public  order  because 
truth  was  told." 

There  is  nothing  new  about  this.  It  is  the  same  old 
story  of  corrupt  corporations  and  political  parties  cloaked 
under  the  garb  of  Christianity,  in  the  name  of  *'the 
church,"  with  its  connivance,  if  not  its  consent,  despoil- 
ing the  people,  instead  of  ''saving  souls."  It  is  the  old 
story  of  the  Inquisition,  for  the  real  purpose  of  acquisi- 
tion, though  the  avowed  purpose  has  always  been  the 
''salvation  of  souls." 

General  Thomas  M.  Anderson,  in  an  address  before 
the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  in  Chicago, 
on  June  14,  1899,  at  their  Flag  Day  exercises,  spoke  as 
follows : 

"You  have  all  doubtless  wondered  why  war  has  so  long 
been  kept  up  in  the  Philippines.  Before  I  had  been  there 
long  I  was  shown  instruments  of  torture  such  as  we 
have  read  of  in  connection  with  the  Inquisition.  The 
rack,  the  thumb-screw,  the  dungeon  and  the  water  drip, 
the  pincers  and  the  stake,  walls  pitted  with  bullets  that 
had  killed  the  victims  of  military  executions.  Those  pun- 
ishments and  persecutions  had  been  going  on  for  over 
200  years.  No  wonder,  then,  the. Filipinos  had  often  re- 
belled and  fought  desperately  for  their  freedom.  They 
had  never  been  told  the  truth;  they  had  been  systemat- 
ically robbed  and  had  never  known  justice.  When  they 
found  that  we  remained  after  the  defeat  of  the  Spaniards 
they  were  made  to  believe  that  we  would  treat  them  just 
as  the  Spaniards  had.  A  Filipino  woodcarver  showed 
me  fourteen  groups  he  had  carved  showing  the  different 


330       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Spanish  tortures.  The  simplest  was  putting  fishhooks  in 
a  man's  mouth  and  drawing  them  tight  over  his  head. 
He  gave  me  four  of  these  groups,  but  they  are  of  such  a 
character  that  I  have  never  shown  them  to  my  own  fam- 
ily. 

*'We  released  1,400  prisoners  when  we  took  Manila. 
Most  of  them  were  political  prisoners  and  some  of  them 
women  who  had  to  choose  between  impurity  and 
prison.  One  had  been  in  Bilibid  prison  eighteen  years. 
Released  from  this  oppression  by  us,  you  may  wonder 
why  they  turned  against  us.  It  was  because  they  had 
been  made  to  believe  that  we  had  exterminated  the  whole 
Indian  race  from  this  continent  and  would  certainly  fol- 
low the  same  policy  with  them." 

It  would  seem  as  though  subsequent  events  must  have 
confirmed  this  belief  to  a  great  extent,  if  official  accounts 
are  correct. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 
COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  WAR  OF  CONQUEST. 

General  E.  S.  Otis,  in  his  official  report  of  August  31, 
1899,  upon  pages  99  and  100,  says  of  the  slaughter  dur- 
ing the  first  day  of  fighting,  February  5,  1899: 

"Ourcasualitiesfor  the  day  in  killed  and  wounded  num- 
bered about  250.  Those  of  the  enemy  will  never  be 
known.  Our  hospitals  were  filled  with  their  wounded, 
our  prisons  with  their  captured,  and  we  buried  700  of 
them.  Their  loss  was  estimated  at  3,000,  and,  consider- 
ing the  number  who  died  on  the  field  of  battle,  might  be 
deemed  conservative." 

Considering  that  the  Americans  had  battleships,  rapid- 
fire,  automatic  and  Catling  guns,  against  bolos,  bows 
and  arrows  and  wooden  swords,  with  little  artillery  and 
comparatively  few  rifles,  it  was  too  conservative. 


THE  FIRST  SHOT  FIRED.  33^ 

Here  we  wish  to  bring  onto  the  stand  a  few  witnesses 
to  the  scenes  enacted  then,  and  let  them  state  the  facts 
for  themselves. 

W.  W.  Grayson,  a  private  of  the  Nebraska  Volunteers, 
who  fired  "the  first  shot,"  as  acknowledged,  stated  in  an 
interview  on  August  5,  1899,  as  follows: 

'That  night,  about  8  o'clock.  Miller  and  I — there  were 
two  of  us — were  cautiously  pacing  our  district.  We  came 
to  a  fence  and  were  trying  to  see  what  the  Filipinos  were 
up  to.  Suddenly,  near  at  hand,  on  our  left,  there  was  a 
low  but  unmistakable  Filipino  outpost  signal  whistle.  It 
^as  immediately  answered  by  a  similar  whistle  about 
twenty-five  yards  to  the  right.  Then  a  red  lantern  flashed 
its  signal  from  blockhouse  No.  7.  We  had  never  seen 
such  a  sign  before.  In  a  moment  something  rose  slowly 
up  not  twenty  feet  in  front  of  us.  It  was  a  Filipino.  I 
yelled  'halt!'  and  I  made  it  pretty  loud,  for  I  was  accus- 
tomed to  challenging  the  officer  of  the  guard  in  approved 
military  style.  The  man  moved.  I  challenged  him  with 
another  loud  'halt.'  Then  he  impudently  shouted  'halto' 
at  me.  Well,  I  thought  the  best  thing  to  do  was  to  slioot 
him.  He  dropped.  If  I  didn't  kill  him,  I  guess  he  died 
of  fright.  Then  two  Fihpinos  sprang  out  of  the  gateway 
about  fifteen  feet  from  us.  I  called  'halt,'  and  Miller  fired 
and  dropped  one.  I  saw  that  another  was  left.  Well,  I 
think  I  got  my  second  Filipino  that  time.  We  retreated 
to  where  our  six  other  fellows  were,  and  I  said:  'Line 
up,  fellows,  the  niggers  are  in  here  all  through  these 
yards.'  We  then  retreated  to  the  pipe  line  and  got  behind 
the  water  main  and  stayed  there  all  night.  It  was  some 
minutes  after  our  second  shots  before  the  Filipinos  began 
firing." 

Another  private  wrote : 

"The  slaughter  was  just  awful.  Dewey  was  throwing 
shells  into  the  insurgent  camp,  killing  hundreds  at  a 
time.  Our  boys  stood  there  ten  hours  straight  shoot- 
ing before  they  could  move  the  natives  an  inch;  finally 
we  got  them  on  the  run  and  kept  them  going.  There 
were  regiments  whose  officers  could  do  nothing  with 
the  men;  they  couldn't  stop  when  they  got  the  insur- 


33^       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

gents  on  the  run.  Our  men  burned  and  destroyed  every- 
thing they  came  across.  The  Utah  battery  and  the  Four- 
teenth regulars  had  dead  FiHpinos  piled  up  so  high  that 
they  used  the  bodies  for  breastworks.  *  *  *  The  Min- 
nesota men  are  just  crazy  to  get  out  on  the  firing  line. 
*  *  *  We  have  them  so  scared  in  the  city  that  they 
are  afraid  to  come  out  of  their  houses.  For  a  time  they 
would  brush  up  against  you,  but  now  they  get  off  the 
walk.  We  are  searching  most  all  of  them,  and  when  we 
tell  them  to  stop  they  at  once  throw  up  their  hands,  for 
if  they  make  the  least  move  we  shoot  them  down  like 
dogs." 

The  march  through  the  Philippines,  the  correspond- 
ents of  European  papers  tell  us,  has  been  one  of  merciless 
devastation.  As  our  armies  marched  through  Luzon 
Island  they  left  a  wilderness  behind  them.  A  manager 
and  nurse  of  the  Red  Cross  Society  wrote: 

'T  never  saw  such  an  execution  in  my  life,  and  hope 
never  to  see  such  sights  as  met  me  on  all  sides  as  our  little 
corps  passed  over  the  field,  dressing  wounded — legs  and 
arms  nearly  demolished,  total  decapitation,  horrible 
wounds  in  chests  and  abdomens,  showing  the  determina- 
tion of  our  soldiers  to  kill  every  native  in  sight.  The 
Filipinos  did  stand  their  ground  heroically,  contesting 
every  inch,  but  proved  themselves  unable  to  stand  the 
deadly  fire  of  our  well-trained  and  eager  boys  in  blue. 
I  counted  seventy-nine  dead  natives  in  one  small  field 
and  learn  that  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  their  bodies 
were  stacked  up  for  breastworks." 

Of  the  effects  of  this  terrible  battle,  if  such  cold- 
blooded slaughter  could  be  called  a  battle,  one  of  our  sol- 
diers wrote,  under  date  of  February  5  and  6,  from  the 
field: 

"The  battlefield  is  a  sorry-looking  place  now.  Nearly 
all  houses  and  towns  are  burned,  and  for  a  few  days  after 
the  battle  started  the  ground  was  covered  with  dead 
natives.  The  Americans  have  buried  from  4,000  to  5,000 
dead  Filipinos,  so  their  loss  has  been  terrible.    We  cap- 


FROM  THE  FIRING  LINE.  333 

tured  every  bit  of  poultry,  pigs  and  cattle  we  could  lay 
our  hands  on." 

Another  soldier  writes  in  reference  to  this  battle: 
"It  is  said  that  the  insurgent  loss  is  about  8,000  killed 
and  four  times  as  many  wounded.  *  *  *  About 
4,500  dead  insurgents  have  been  found  by  our  men,  but 
no  one  knows  how  many  more  dead  have  not  been  found 
or  buried  by  their  own  friends.  *  *  *  Just  returned 
from  the  firing  line.  Don't  know  how  many  of  the  devils 
I  hit.  *  *  *  jj^  ^jig  middle  of  the  attack,  while  I 
was  lying  behind  an  earthwork,  firing,  my  mail  was 
liandedtome.  I  put  the  letters  and  papers  into  my  haver- 
sack as  quickly  as  possible,  as  I  wanted  to  resume  firing. 
The  field  of  battle  was  a  horrible  sight,  hundreds  of  dead 
and  wounded  insurgents  and  some  Americans  lying  on 
the  ground.  A  horrible  sight  I  witnessed  was  the  hauling 
into  the  city  of  dead  and  wounded  Americans  on  buffalo 
carts." 

Under  date  of  February  7th  he  writes:  "J^^t  returned 
from  the  firing  line,  where  we  had  a  warm  time.  On  our 
way  out  we  passed  by  thousands  of  deserted  homesteads. 
We  entered  a  few  of  the  houses  and  searched  them.  The 
inhabitants  must  have  left  in  a  terrible  hurry,  for  they 
did  not  take  time  to  take  any  of  their  valuables  with 
them.  We  found  a  great  many  native  uniforms,  and  also 
money  and  jewelry,  which  we  took  for  relics.  *  *  * 
Some  English  naval  officers  came  out  with  a  lot  of 
whisky,  which  they  gave  to  our  men.  They  said  they 
did  not  mind  seeing  the  great  number  of  dead  and 
wounded  insurgents  all  around  them,  because  a  million 
of  their  lives  are  not  worth  the  life  of  one  of  our  brave 
Americans,  and  I  think  they  are  just  about  right.  Went 
over  to  our  right.  Saw  a  lot  of  dead  insurgents  on  a  heap 
in  a  trench.  *  *  *  q^  q^j.  ^^y  to  town  we  picked 
up  a  number  of  relics.  These  deserted  homesteads  are 
now  being  ransacked  by  our  men  and  Chinamen.    The 


334       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Chinamen  are  making  a  lot  of  money  out  of  it,  because 
they  are  at  it  from  morning  until  night,  hauling  in  cloth- 
ing, furniture  and  valuables." 

May  not  those  desolated  homes  in  the  Philippines 
move  American  hearts  as  well  as  the  same  sad  scenes 
in  Samoa,  of  which  Mrs.  Stevenson  writes: 

"President  McKinley  allowed  no  firing  on  Cuban 
towns  unless  they  gave  active  cause  of  offense,  and  Com- 
modore Watson  was  ordered  not  to  attack  undefended 
Spanish  cities.  Does  the  President  keep  his  humanity 
for  civilized  countries  alone? 

''Chief  Justice  Chambers  has  been  represented  as  say- 
ing in  a  letter  to  his  brother:  'I  never  was  happier.'  He 
must  be  a  person  singularly  devoid  of  imagination  if  he 
never  pictured  to  himself  the  scenes  being  enacted  in  the 
bombardment  of  those  villages,  the  exodus  of  panic- 
stricken  people  rushing  hither  and  thither;  shells  burst- 
ing everywhere;  the  cries  of  bedridden  and  helpless; 
w^ounded  people  burning  alive  in  their  blazing  houses; 
women  sick,  mangled  children  crawling  on  the  sands, 
the  sea  before  them  and  the  bush  behind  them.  And  we 
read  that  the  woods  also  were  shelled.  Who  is  to  be  held 
accountable  for  these  deeds  that  disgrace  both  England 
and  America?" 

One  soldier  writes  of  the  night  of  the  terrible  fires  in 
Manila  as  follows : 

"What  we  have  all  been  expecting  long,  came.  We 
were  all  very  anxious  to  have  it  come,  but  I  for  one  don't 
care  for  any  more  of  it,  because  what  I  went  through 
and  what  I  witnessed  this  night  changes  my  opinion  of 
the  horrors  of  war  entirely.  A  lot  of  insurgents  who 
were  in  the  dark  and  whom  we  had  not  seen,  opened  fire 
on  us  with  Mauser  rifles.  Here  is  where  I  witnessed  the 
most  terrible  sight  imaginable,  and  one  which  I  shall 
never  forget.  Thousands  of  women  and  children  were 
coming  out  of  their  homes  and  running  around  in  the 
flames,  lost,  with  their  clothes  afire,  screaming.  Horses, 
dogs  and  other  animals  were  running  around  trying  to 


SAD  AND  SICKENING  SCENES.  335 

keep  out  of  the  flames,  until  they  would  become  crazy 
and  go  right  into  the  worst  part  of  it.  This  sight  had  a 
bad  effect  on  us  and  made  us  feel  faint  and  sick.  Thou- 
sands of  women  and  children  must  have  perished  in  the 
flames.    Some  of  the  boys  got  lots  of  money." 

This  is  a  sad  admission  for  American  soldiers;  to  get 
**lots  of  money"  under  such  circumstances,  but  the  boys 
say  the  worst  of  all  was  when  the  women  and  children 
were  shot  to  hear  their  heart-rending  outcries. 

From  that  time  on  till  the  present  the  same  terrible  tale 
^of  slaughter  has  been  heralded  to  the  world,  in  spite  of 
a  censored  press.  The  shelling  of  towns  filled  with 
women  and  children  and  noncombatants  became  so  com- 
mon we  thought  nothing  of  it. 

As  an  illustration  we  quote  the  following  from  the 
Associated  Press,  dated  Manila,  June  ii  (1899),  8:10 
p.  m.  After  stating  that  the  towns  had  been  shelled,  as 
usual,  by  the  warships,  it  adds: 

"At  6  o'clock  this  morning  General  Wheaton  advanced 
upon  Las  Pinas  with  a  troop  of  cavalry,  the  Twenty-first 
infantry,  the  Colorado  regiment,  part  of  the  Ninth  infan- 
try and  two  mountain  guns,  crossing  two  streams  and 
entering  the  town  without  firing  a  shot.  He  then  ad- 
vanced upon  Paranaque. 

"The  women  and  children,  and,  for  that  matter,  many 
men,  remained  in  the  towns.  No  houses  were  destroyed, 
though  many  were  torn  by  the  shells  from  the  warships. 
Everywhere  the  Americans  found  white  flags  flying." 

The  shelling  of  Paete  was  reported  as  follows : 
"Manila,  August  2  (1899),  via  Hongkong. — The  gun- 
boat Napidan  last  week  shelled  Paete,  on  the  lake  near 
Santa  Cruz.  The  town  was  full  of  people  who  had  been 
encouraged  to  return  after  General  Lawton's  expedition, 
having  been  assured  that  they  would  not  be  molested  if 
they  peaceably  attended  to  business." 


33^       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

CHAPTER  XLVIIL 

SUFFERING   FOR   FREEDOM'S   SAKE. 

A  United  States  army  officer  wrote  the  following  for 
the  Chicago  Record: 

"Manila,  April  6  (1899). — A  few  days  ago  I  was  or- 
dered to  take  out  a  patrol  for  the  purpose  of  finding  and 
destroying  any  supplies  left  by  the  Filipinos  when  they 
gave  way  to  our  advancing  line.     *     *     * 

"Soon  we  found  results  of  the  morning's  work — horri- 
ble-looking corpses  of  Filipinos,  already  swollen  and  dis- 
torted by  the  heat  of  the  tropical  sun.  They  lay  in  ghastly 
attitudes,  with  their  death  wounds  either  exposed  or  else 
marked  by  blood  spots  on  their  white  clothing.  It  was 
difficult  to  realize  that  only  this  morning  those  same  ob- 
jects now  lying  there  were  living  human  beings,  while 
now  man  and  beast  turn  aside  involuntarily  and  shun 
them.  Possibly  that  spot  of  smoldering  bamboo  marked 
the  only  home  this  one  ever  had,  and  its  destruction  was 
almost  as  quick  to  follow  the  match  as  was  his  poor  soul's 
flight  from  the  bullet.  And  this  other  hideous  thing, 
still  roasting  and  sputtering  in  the  embers,  had  perhaps 
crawled  into  his  hut  only  to  perish  with  it  and  leave  no 
trace  on  earth  of  his  life  or  its  accomplishment. 

"Have  you  ever  seen  anything  of  this  sort?  Well,  God 
forbid  that  you  ever  shall!  It  is  our  business,  I  suppose; 
it  is  what  we  are  paid  for;  but  I  hope  nobody  thinks  we 
take  pleasure  in  it,  or  imagines  we  can  get  satisfaction 
out  of  death  and  destruction.  Of  course,  after  entering  a 
fight  there  is  nothing  to  do  but  push  it  as  hard  as  possi- 
ble, and  the  instinct  of  self-preservation  actuates  men  in 
deeds  the  results  of  which  they  deeply  deplore.  Rage 
and  frenzy  may  exist  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment, 
but  when  that  has  passed  only  pity  and  sorrow  can  re- 
main. Poor  consolation  is  gleaned  from  military  suc- 
cess while  the  evidences  of  its  accompaniment  are  still  so 
apparent. 

"Along  the  road  had  been  here  and  there  little  groups  of 
nipa  huts.  They  are  built  of  bamboo  and  are  as  light  and 
airy  as  they  look,  with  the  floor  usually  about  four  feet 


SUFFERING   FOR   FREEDOM'S   SAKE.         337 

from  the  ground  and  a  bamboo  ladder  leading  to  the  door. 

*     *     *     In  those  left  standing  were  evidences  of  hasty 

flight — partially  cooked  meals  of  rice  and  occasionally  a 

little  meat,  with  now  and  then  some  puny  tomatoes  and 

bunches  of  bananas.    The  furniture  was  of  the  simplest, 

consisting  usually  of  a  few  mats  and  some  bamboo  chairs, 

with  an  old  chest  or  two  filled  with  rags.     But  in  every 

house  was  a  crucifix  or  else  a  picture  of  the  Virgin,  and 

many  houses  contained  several  such  pieces  as  the  only 

decoration  of  their  walls.     *     *     *     In  a  few  of  the  huts 

^-ere  still  some  women,  with  now  and  then  an  old  man 

coughing  with  consumption.     Perhaps  the  cough  was 

partially  afifected,  for  these  old  fellows  cannot  be  trusted, 

so  each  one  had  to  open  his  meager  clothing  to  show 

he  had  no  weapons.    Every  house  was  rigidly  searched 

until  we  came  to  one  where  on  the  floor  lay  a  child  of  6 

or  7,  with  the  smallpox,  and  that  house  we  hastily  left. 

Several  similar  cases  were  found,  for  the  disease  is  very 

common.    The  church  was,  of  course,  a  stone  structure 

and  had  cost  more  time,  labor  and  money  many  times 

over  than  all  the  rest  of  the  village.  Its  altar  held  gilded 

wooden  crucifixes  and  wax  figures  of  the  Virgin.    I  had 

come  out  to  look  for  and  destroy  ammunition  and  food 

supplies,  and,  strange  to  say,  this  old  church  was  the 

only  place  in  which  I  found  anything  of  importance.    It 

contained  quite  a  pile  of  six-pounder  shrapnel  for  a  field 

r)iece      ^k     h^     5p 

"On  the  road  back  the  same  scenes  were  passed,  but 
the  light  had  faded.  Here  and  there  smoldering  bamboo 
glowed  and  flickered  where  humble  but  happy  homes 
had  stood  that  morning,  and  another  page  had  been 
turned  on  the  old  and  dreadful  story  of  war.      B.  H.  A." 

Another  side  of  this  sad  struggle  for  freedom  is  shown 
in  the  following  beautifully  written  account  by  an  officer 
of  the  United  States  army,  in  the  Chicago  Record  of 
November  30,  1899,  giving  us  just  as  gently  as  possible 
a  very  faint  glimpse  of  the  cruelties  connected  with  our 
government  in  the  PhiHppines,  at  present: 

The  first  scene  is  located  in  a  Filipino  home,  from 


33^        THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

which  the  sick  father  is  taken  under  arrest  as  a  traitor, 
or  a  patriot,  as  you  view  it. 

"Suppose  you  ask  yourself  the  question  whether  if 
you  were  an  armed  FiHpino  you  would  consider  yourself 
a  rebel  or  a  patriot,  and,  whatever  your  answer,  think 
about  some  of  the  other  things  that  I  saw  to-day  as  con- 
sequence of  these  arrests?  Virata,  when  found  in  his 
house,  was  sick  with  a  high  fever  and  was  so  dizzy  he 
staggered  and  could  not  walk.  His  wife  is  a  pretty 
young  woman,  and  of  course  beauty  in  distress  is  always 
more  effective  in  appealing  to  our  sympathies.  On  the 
floor  lay  a  little  baby  a  few  months  old,  and  another,  just 
able  to  toddle  about,  looked  with  vv^ondering  eyes  at  the 
soldiers.  The  poor  woman  stood  listening  to  the  ex- 
planation of  affairs  and  heard  the  order  for  her  husband 
to  come  along,  and  then,  of  course,  she  burst  into  tears. 
Confound  it!  Women  always  have  to  do  some  such  thing. 
They  show  no  consideration  whatever  for  people  who 
come  to  take  away  their  husbands,  and,  to  tell  you  the 
truth,  I  don't  like  this  sort  of  work.  I  wish  somebody 
else  could  be  detailed  to  do  it.  What  do  you  suppose 
she  said? 

"  'Oh,  Seiior  Capitan,  may  I  go  with  my  husband?' 

"These  people,  you  know,  are  only  semi-civilized,  and 
their  skins  are  quite  dark,  and  they  don't  know  that  civil- 
ized countries  could  not  permit  such  a  thing  as  that  she 
asked.  So  the  sefior  capitan  had  to  tell  her  that  she 
could  not  go,  and  then,  of  course,  she  cried  all  the  harder, 
so  that  it  was  very  difficult  for  the  senor  capitan,  and  he 
looked  as  though  he  wanted  to  cry  or  swear,  or  both, 
and  I  am  not  sure  but  he  did.  The  man  was  too  sick  to 
walk,  so  an  ambulance  was  sent  for  and  he  was  put  in 
it  and  drove  off,  leaving  the  wife  in  depths  of  despair  and 
the  little  ones  crying  from  sympathy. 

"The  Filipino's  little  nipa  hut,  with  its  bamboo  floor, 
was  not  much  of  a  place  to  be  torn  from,  but  it  was 
home,  and  there  in  the  door  was  his  wife,  with  one  child 
in  her  arms,  while  the  wail  of  the  other  was  plain  on  the 
air.  And  for  the  wife  God  only  knows  what  it  meant, 
for  it  was  not  merely  a  question  of  happiness,  but  of 


SUFFERING   FOR   FREEDOM'S   SAKE.         339 

life  and  death.  There  was  not  a  thing  in  the  house  to 
eat,  except  a  little  rice,  enough  for  one  meal.  She  had 
not  thought  of  this  until  the  party  was  starting,  and  then 
she  cried  out: 

"  'Oh,  Senor  Capitan,  what  shall  I  do?  My  babies  will 
die;  I  have  no  food.  May  I  enter  the  town  past  the 
guards?' 

"And  the  sefior  capitan  said  in  poor  Spanish: 

"  'Senora,  I  am  very  sorry,  but  the  orders  positively 
forbid  any  one  passing  the  lines,  and — ah — you  see — 
well — oh! — the  order!  Certainly,  sefiora,  you  may  come 
in;  I  don't  care  a whether  they  like  it  or  not.' 

^'Swearing  in  the  presence  of  ladies  is  not  usually  con- 
sidered good  form,  and  certainly  the  expression  * the 

order'  is  not  military,  but  the  worst  of  it  is  that  he  doesn't 
seem  to  regret  it  at  all,  and  he  went  further  into  encour- 
aging treason  by  giving  the  woman  an  order  for  com- 
missaries to  keep  her  babies  from  starving;  and  he  did 
other  seditious  things,  such  as  swearing  some  more  at 
the  soldiers  who  crowded  around,  excited  by  vulgar  curi- 
osity and  who  were  inclined  to  display  little  sympathy 
with  anybody  related  to  an  insurrecto.  He  even  told 
them  they  were  several  kinds  of  blank  brutes  and  did  not 
deserve  to  associate  with  men. 

''What  is  the  army  coming  to?  Think  of  black  sedition 
being  pampered  in  this  way,  and  seditious  children  being 
fed  on  government  rice! 

"It  seems  that  after  all,  the  fairy  godmother  appeared, 
though  I  am  assured  she  was  addressed  as  major  and 
wore  a  red  stripe  on  her  trousers;  I  mean,  she  belonged 
to  the  artillery,  and  finding  that  these  three  men  had 
done  nothing  tangible,  so  that  no  charge  could  be  held 
against  them,  he  turned  them  loose;  I  mean  she  turned 
them  loose,  and  they  came  back  here,  and  while  the  pass 
officer  was  trying  to  ward  off  and  dodge  some  weeping 
women  and  was  at  the  same  time  signing  passes  for 
them  to  go  to  Manila  to  see  their  husbands,  the  men 
themselves  appeared. 

"Well,  the  necks  that  were  fallen  upon  for  the  purpose 
of  shedding  tears,  included  about  all  in  the  town  except 


340       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  relief  on  post,  for  the  officers  and  soldiers  had  to  be 
in  it,  too;  and,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  for  these  people 
are,  of  course,  savages  and  quite  black  as  to  their  skins, 
there  was  one  little  girl  who  hung  on  her  father's  neck 
and  wept  for  joy  almost  as  sincerely  as  did  my  boy  when 
I  got  back  sick  from  Cuba  last  year.  B.  H.  A." 

Mr.  John  T.  McCutcheon  in  a  letter  from  the  Philip- 
pines in  the  Chicago  Record  of  June  13,  1899,  wrote 
concerning  the  battle  of  Santa  Cruz: 

"It  was  a  carnival  of  death  that  has  hardly  ever  been 
equaled — a  man  hunt  that  was  almost  as  merciless  and 
deadly  as  the  Custer  massacre. 

''Santa  Cruz,  the  second  city  in  Luzon,  was  taken  and 
Lawton's  strategy  had  been  successful. 

**A  peaceful  quiet  had  spread  over  the  plain.  The 
firing  line  settled  down  to  rest  and  the  work  of  gathering 
in  the  dead  began.  The  men  of  the  hospital  corps  strag- 
gled across  the  field,  and  little  groups  of  soldiers  here  and 
there  marked  where  some  Filipino  lay.  When  I  reached 
the  shore  from  the  Laguna  a  few  minutes  later  the  work 
of  removing  the  bodies  had  not  begun,  but  the  surgeons 
were  going  over  the  field  administering  to  the  wants  of 
the  wounded  and  preparing  to  take  them  to  the  impro- 
vised hospital  in  Santa  Cruz. 

"The  scene  was  an  extremely  sad  and  touching  one. 
There  were  bodies,  huddled  as  they  fell,  twisted  and  dis- 
torted. Many  were  struck  three  and  even  four  times, 
showing  where  the  gatlings  had  followed  the  death  blow 
so  quickly  that  other  bullets  struck  home  before  the  body 
could  reach  the  ground.  One  handsome  officer  was  ly- 
ing dead.  I  had  often  seen  him  driving  on  the  Luneta 
with  his  sister  during  the  months  of  peace  last  autumn. 
Some  of  the  Filipinos  were  young  boys,  scarcely  16  years 
old,  and  some  were  men  well  advanced  in  years.  Their 
clothes  were  soaked  to  a  dark  crimson  color  and  the 
fierce,  hot  sun  was  baking  the  blood  on  their  faces  to 
a  thick  dry  crust.  To  many  of  them  death  had  come 
quickly,  and  half-open  eyes  stared  up  to  the  blue  sky 
with  no  sign  of  pain  or  suffering  on  their  brows.    The 


SUFFERING   FOR   FREEDOM'S   SAKE.  34^ 

wounded  lay  passive  and  uncomplaining,  hardly  a  moan 
escaping  the  lips  of  men  who  were  even  then  close  to 
death.  Some  of  them  expected  that  the  Americans  would 
kill  them  as  they  lay,  and  looked  appealingly  at  the  sol- 
diers who  came  near  them,  while  others  seemed  utterly 
indifferent  to  the  fate  that  might  meet  them.  A  FiHpino 
concealed  in  a  bunch  of  bamboos  firing  cowardly  shots 
at  the  American  is  one  thing,  but  when  we  find  him  to 
be  a  young  boy  and  see  him  lying  out  in  the  sun  with  his 
white  clothes  drenched  with  blood  and  a  big  hole  torn  in 
his  chest  it  is  hard  not  to  feel  sorry  for  him. 

''In  places  there  were  little  heaps  of  clothing  showing 
how  some  poor  fellow  had  thrown  aside  his  uniform  in 
the  hopes  that  he  might  be  considered  an  'amigo'  or 
non-combatant.  American  soldiers  were  strolling  list- 
lessly around  picking  up  trinkets  and  souvenirs,  here  a 
shot-riddled  hat,  or  a  bolo  or  a  Maftser  rifle.  One  cut 
part  of  a  shirt  from  a  dead  body  that  had  a  bullet  hole 
through  its  heart.  It  was  an  anting-anting — a  catapunan 
charm  consecrated  by  the  priests  and  warranted  to  shield 
the  wearer  from  the  bullets  of  the  enemy.  A  garment  of 
this  kind  is  profusely  decorated  with  emblems  and  signs 
and  the  priests  prey  upon  the  ignorant  natives  by  selHng 
it  at  an  exorbitant  price  to  the  superstitious  Filipino 
soldiers.  Sometimes  as  high  as  $40  is  paid  to  a  priest 
for  one  of  these  worthless  shirts." 

It  seems  that  this  'anting-anting'  scheme  is  a  friar 
confidence  game  of  the  first  quality,  perpetrated  upon 
their  superstitious  followers.  It  also  seems  that  some 
of  the  native  priests  have  learned  the  art  or  trick  of 
anting-anting,  and  are  carrying  on  the  trade  to  the  in- 
tense disgust  of  the  "holy  fathers." 

The  following  is  from  the  Manila  Times  of  May  9, 
1900: 

"It  is  highly  enjoyable  (to  a  cynic)  to  see  the  friar 
newspaper  'Libertas'  warmly  denouncing  the  fetish  bus- 
iness of  'anting-anting,'  while  the  friars  themselves  make 
thousands  of  dollars  profit  every  year  out  of  exactly  the 


342       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

same  trade.  The  sales  of  magic  charms  and  tahsmans, 
sacred  reHcs  supposed  to  have  supernatural  power,  holy 
pictures,  cabalistic  writings  or  slips  of  plain  printed  paper, 
pot  dolls,  tin  saints  and  a  thousand  other  kinds  of  anting- 
anting,  form  one  of  the  most  remunerative  of  all  the 
friars'  dollar-grabbing  schemes.  A  plain,  china  doll 
bought  in  a  toy-shop  may  cost  five  cents;  the  same  china 
doll  bought  from  a  priest  would  probably  cost  a  dollar 
and  would  be  called  a  saint,  and  would  have  all  the 
mysterious  virtues  of  anting-anting.  It  is  safety  for  those 
in  danger,  medicine  to  the  sick,  help  to  those  who  won't 
trouble  to  help  themselves,  an  antidote  to  all  poisons,  a 
bullet-proof  jacket,  a  defense  against  shells  exploding, 
and  a  wooden  leg  to  the  amputated.  All  that  for  one 
dollar! 

*'So  far,  so  good.  What  the  friars  do  is  all  right,  what 
they  sell  is  holy,  and  what  they  rob  from  the  ignorant 
and  superstitious  is  for  the  good  of  the  poor — priests. 
But  when  somebody  else  trespasses  on  their  prerogative, 
poaches  on  their  preserves,  pirates  their  patent  and  in- 
fringes their  monopoly,  then  it's  quite  another  story!" 

This  story  as  told  in  the  ''Libertas"  will  not  do  for  a 
mixed  audience. 

General  Otis  came  home  to  declare  that  the  war  in  the 
Philippines  is  **over."  Undoubtedly  he  tells  the  truth  if 
he  intends  to  say  it  is  all  over,  for  it  is — all  over  the 
islands,  wherever  a  poor  ''pacified"  Filipino  patriot  can 
be  found  to  be  fired  at  by  an  American. 

If  not,  why  is  an  American  army  necessary  there,  and 
why  not  send  it  home? 

The  Philippines  are  ''pacified"  he  says — ^yes,  like  a  pris- 
oner in  jail,  or  a  straight  jacket,  or  prostrate  upon  the 
earth  with  a  heavy-weight  policeman  continuing  to  "pa- 
cify" him  with  boot,  billy  and  bullets. 

We  ask  earnest  attention  to  the  following  special  dis- 
patch concerning  one  only  of  constant  cases  of  slaughter 
now  going  on: 


NOT  WAR  BUT  MURDER.  343 

"Rochester,  N.  Y.,  July  28.— (Special.)— Gen.  E.  S. 
Otis  was  seen  to-day  with  reference  to  the  cablegram  re- 
ceived from  Manila  on  Thursday,  which  said  a  soldier 
was  murdered  in  a  native  store  at  Oroquieta,  northern 
Mindanao,  Thursday,  while  purchasing  some  food,  and 
that  a  company  of  the  Fortieth  Infantry  stationed  at 
Cagayan  immediately  went  to  Oroquieta  and  killed 
eighty-nine  natives  as  an  act  of  revenge. 

"General  Otis  said: 

''  'Major  Goodwin  is  in  command  at  Cagayan,  where 
the  eighty-nine  Filipinos  are  said  to  have  been  killed, 
and  it  is  certain  that  no  such  action  was  taken  on  his 
part  without  cause.' " 

The  following  from  Mr.  McCutcheon  under  date  of 
Manila,  April  20,  1900,  which  was  published  in  the  Chi- 
cago Record  of  August  10,  1900,  concerning  the  censor 
and  this  cruel  killing  seems  fitting  in  this  connection: 

*Tn  the  last  week  a  correspondent  took  a  dispatch  to 
the  censor  for  approval.  The  first  sentence  stated  that 
the  preceding  week  had  been  the  bloodiest  since  the  war 
began. 

"The  censor  mildly  objected  to  the  use  of  the  word 
'war.'    'There's  no  war  out  here,'  he  said. 

"  'Well,  what  do  you  call  it  when  300  natives  are  killed 
in  three  engagements,  which  is  what  happened  this  last 
week?'  asked  the  correspondent. 

"  That's  not  war.' 

"'Well,  what  is  it  then?'  persisted  the  correspondent. 

"  'That's  only  murder.'  " 

It  is  now  too  well  known  that  the  worst  features  of 
this  man-hunt  in  the  Philippines  have  been  forbidden 
publication  by  a  system  of  censorship  conducted  in  Man- 
ila, but  dictated  at  Washington,  and  yet  what  is  published 
should  horrify  humanity. 

Passing  over  a  long  period  of  massacres,  we  quote 
from  a  more  recent  dispatch  of  the  Associated  Press  as 
follows : 


344       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"Manila,  April  22  (1900). — Last  week  has  been  one  of 
the  bloodiest  of  the  war  since  the  first  day's  fighting 
around  Manila.  Authentic  reports,  mostly  official,  show 
a  total  of  378  Filipinos  killed,  twelve  officers  and  244 
men  captured  and  many  more  wounded.  The  number 
wounded  is  hardly  guessable. 

"Considering  that  the  Filipinos  entirely  lack  hospital 
facilities,  a  great  majority  of  the  wounded  will  die.  Prob- 
ably the  week's  work  finished  1,000  insurgents.  The 
Americans'  loss  was  nine  killed  and  sixteen  wounded. 
Two  sergeants  and  one  private  were  killed  in  ambushes 
while  escorting  provision  trains." 

This  seems  more  like  wholesale  murder  than  war,  when 
men  armed  with  bolos,  wooden  spears  and  swords  are 
mowed  down  with  machine,  rapid  fire  and  automatic 
guns,  while  vainly  endeavoring  to  drive  a  foreign  invader 
from  their  homes  and  fields  and  native  land  in  this  un- 
equal contest  of  might  against  right. 

Their  rifles  are  so  few,  and  their  ammunition,  as  Gen- 
eral Lawton  said,  so  inferior  frequently,  as  to  be  of  no 
actual  account  in  action  often,  even  when  they  have 
modern  weapons. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

HOW   A   HERO   DIED   FOR   FREEDOM. 

To  show  how  bravely  some  of  these  men  have  died  for 
freedom,  we  call  upon  two  eye-witnesses  of  a  scene  of 
valor  worthy  of  immortality.  With  a  bare  handful  of 
brave  followers,  young  General  Gregorio  del  Pilar,  but 
a  boy  himself,  made  a  stand  at  Tilad  Pass  on  the  Cor- 
dilleras, to  cover  the  final  retreat  into  the  fastnesses  of 
those  mountains,  on  the  ist  of  December,  1899,  giving  his 
life  gladly  to  guard  Aguinaldo  and  all  that  was  left  them 
of  their  hopes  of  liberty  at  last.     It  was  a  battle  above 


HOW   A   HERO    DIED   FOR   FREEDOM.        345 

the  clouds  and  of  the  60  Filipino  patriots  who  fought  for 
their  freedom,  independence  and  country  there,  53  fell. 
Pilar  could  be  heard  encouraging  his  men  to  stand  to 
the  last  and  he  was  the  last  to  fall,  when  those  left  fled. 
Richard  Henry  Little,  war  correspondent,  wrote  for  the 
Chicago  Tribune  the  following  beautiful  tribute  to  him: 

"I  had  seen  the  youngest  and  bravest  of  the  Filipino 
generals  die  while  vainly  trying  to  rally  his  men  for  one 
last  effort  to  hold  the  Americans  back;  had  seen  the 
last  ditch'  fight  of  the  war — the  fight  the  pick  and  flower 
of  the  Filipino  army  had  made  in  a  frantic  attempt  to  hold 
back  the  Americans  until  Aguinaldo  made  good  his  es- 
cape. 

*Tt  was  a  great  fight  that  was  fought  away  up  on  the 
trail  of  lonely  Tilad  Pass  on  that  Saturday  morning  of 
December  2.  It  brought  glory  to  Major  Marsh's  bat- 
talion of  the  Thirty-third  Volunteer  Infantry,  who  were 
the  victors.  It  brought  no  discredit  to  the  little  band  of 
sixty  Filipinos  who  fought  and  died  there.  Sixty  was 
the  number  that  at  Aguinaldo's  orders  had  come  down 
in  the  pass  that  morning  to  arrest  the  onward  march 
of  the  Americans.  Seven  were  all  that  went  back  over 
the  pass  that  night  to  tell  Aguinaldo  they  had  tried  and 
failed.  Fifty-three  of  them  were  either  killed  or  wounded. 
And  among  them^  the  last  to  retreat,  we  found  the  body 
of  young  General  Gregorio  del  Pilar.  We  had  seen  him 
cheering  his  men  in  the  fight.  One  of  our  companies 
crouched  up  close  under  the  side  of  the  cliff  where  he  had 
built  his  first  intrenchment,  heard  his  voice  continually 
during  the  fight  urging  his  men  to  greater  effort,  scold- 
ing them,  praising  them,  cursing  them,  appealing  one 
moment  to  their  love  of  their  native  land  and  the  next 
instant  threatening  to  kill  them  himself,  if  they  did  not 
stand  firm.  Driven  from  the  first  intrenchment  he  fell 
slowly  back  to  the  second  in  full  sight  of  our  sharp- 
shooters and  under  a  heavy  fire.  Not  until  every  man 
around  him  in  the  second  intrenchment  was  down,  did 
he  turn  his  white  horse  and  ride  slowly  up  the  winding 
trail.    Then  we  who  were  below  saw  an  American  squirm 


346       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

his  way  out  to  the  top  of  a  high  flat  rock,  and  take  de- 
liberate aim  at  the  figure  on  the  white  horse.  We  held 
our  breath,  not  knowing  whether  to  pray  that  the  sharp- 
shooter would  shoot  straight  or  miss.  Then  came  the 
spiteful  crack  of  the  Krag  rifle  and  the  man  on  horse- 
back rolled  to  the  ground,  and  when  the  troops  charging 
up  the  mountain  side  reached  him,  the  boy  general  of 
the  Filipinos  was  dead. 

"We  went  on  up  the  mountain  side.  After  H  company 
had  driven  the  insurgents  out  of  their  second  position 
and  killed  Pilar,  the  other  companies  had  rushed  straight 
up  the  trail,  and  never  stopped  until  they  were  far  up 
above  the  clouds  and  there  was  no  longer  an  insurgent 
in  sight.  As  we  went  up  the  trail  we  passed  dead  Filipino 
soldiers.  We  counted  ten  in  all.  Some  had  been  shot 
several  times.  We  found  bloody  trails  that  led  to  places 
on  the  edge  of  the  cliffs,  where  wounded  men  had  either 
jumped  or  fallen  ofif.  We  passed  the  second  intrench- 
ment  high  up  on  the  trail.  It  was  built  of  heavy  rocks 
well  banked  with  earth.  Just  past  this  a  few  hundred 
yards  we  saw  a  solitary  body  lying  in  the  road.  The  body 
was  almost  stripped  of  clothing,  and  there  were  no  marks 
of  rank  left  on  the  bloodsoaked  coat.  But  the  face  of 
the  dead  man  had  a  look  I  had  never  noticed  on  the 
face  of  other  dead  men  I  had  found  in  insurgent  uniform 
on  the  field  of  battle,  in  the  wake  of  an  American  firing 
line.  The  features  were  clear  cut  and  forehead  high  and 
shapely.  I  decided  the  man  must  have  been  an  insurgent 
officer.    A  soldier  came  running  down  the  trail. 

''  That's  old  Pilar,'  he  said.  'We  got  the  old  rascal. 
I  guess  he's  sorry  he  ever  went  up  against  the  Thirty- 
third.' 

"  There  ain't  no  doubt  about  its  being  Pilar,'  rattled 
on  the  young  soldier.  'We  got  his  diary,  and  his  letters, 
and  all  his  papers,  and  Sullivan  of  our  company's  got 
his  pants,  and  Snider's  got  his  shoes,  but  he  can't  wear 
them  because  they're  too  small,  and  a  sergeant  in  G  com- 
pany got  one  of  his  silver  spurs,  and  a  lieutenant  got  the 
other,  and  somebody  swiped  the  cuff  buttons  before  I  got 
here  or  I  would  have  swiped  them,  and  all  I  got  was  a 
stud  button  and  his  collar  with  blood  on  it.' 


HOW   A    HERO    DIED   FOR   FREEDOM.        347 

''So  this  was  the  end  of  Gregorio  del  Pilar.  Only 
twenty-two  years  old,  he  managed  to  make  himself  a 
leader  of  men  when  he  was  hardly  more  than  a  boy,  and 
at  last  had  laid  down  his  life  for  his  convictions.  Major 
Marsh  had  the  diary.  In  it  he  had  written  under  the 
date  of  December  2,  the  day  he  was  killed: 

"  The  general  has  given  me  the  pick  of  all  the  men 
that  can  be  spared  and  ordered  me  to  defend  the  pass. 
I  realize  what  a  terrible  task  is  given  me.  And  yet  I 
feel  that  this  is  the  most  glorious  moment  of  my  life. 
What  I  do  is  done  for  my  beloved  country.  No  sacri- 
fice can  be  too  great.* 

"A  private,  sitting  by  the  camp  fire  was  exhibiting  a 
handkerchief.  'It's  old  Pilar's.  It's  got  'Dolores  Hosea' 
on  the  corner.  I  guess  that  was  his  girl.  Well,  it's  all 
off  with  Gregorio.' 

"  'Anyhow,'  said  Private  Sullivan,  'I  got  his  pants. 
He  won't  need  'em  any  more.' 

"The  man  who  had  the  general's  shoes  strode  proudly 
past,  refusing  with  scorn  a  Mexican  dollar  and  a  pair  of 
shoes  taken  from  one  of  the  private  insurgent  soldiers. 
A  private  sitting  on  a  rock  was  examining  a  golden 
locket  containing  a  curl  of  a  woman's  hair.  'Got  the 
locket  off  his  neck,'  said  the  soldier.     *     *     * 

"As  the  main  column  started  on  its  march  for  the  sum- 
mit of  the  mountain  a  turn  in  the  trail  brought  us  again 
in  sight  of  the  insurgent  general  far  down  below  us. 
There  had  been  no  time  to  bury  him.  Not  even  a  blanket 
or  a  poncho  had  been  thrown  over  him. 

"A  crow  sat  on  the  dead  man's  feet.  Another 
perched  on  his  head.  The  fog  settled  down  upon  us. 
We  could  see  the  body  no  longer. 

'We  carved  not  a  line,  and  we  raised  not  a  stone. 
But  we  left  him  alone  in  his  glory.' 

"And  when  Private  Sullivan  went  by  in  his  trousers, 
and  Snider  with  his  shoes,  and  the  other  man  who  had 
the  cuff  buttons,  and  the  sergeant  who  had  the  spur,  and 
the  lieutenant  who  had  the  other  spur,  and  the  man  that 
had  the  handkerchief,  and  another  man  that  had  his 


348       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

shoulder-straps,   it   suddenly   occurred   to   me   that   his 
glory  was  about  all  we  had  left  of  him." 

The  following  needs  no  comment,  but  tears : 

"New  York,  March  15. — A  correspondent  of  the  Even- 
ing Post,  writing  from  Manila  under  date  of  February  2, 
says:  When  Gregorio  del  Pilar's  body  was  found  Ameri- 
can soldiers  stripped  it  of  every  bit  of  clothing,  taking 
the  rings  from  the  fingers  and  a  locket  from  the  neck. 
Not  a  stitch  of  any  kind  was  left  on  the  body,  everything 
being  taken  for  souvenirs.  For  two  days  the  body  was 
left  by  the  roadside  unburied  until  its  odor  was  offensive, 
and  some  Igorrotes  were  ordered  to  cover  it  with  dirt. 
Among  the  things  taken  were  his  watch,  money,  a  gold 
and  a  diamond  ring." 

Our  American  heroes  did  not  stop  at  ''stealing  the 
pennies  off  of  a  dead  man's  eyes,"  but  they  stripped  the 
last  stitch  of  clothing  off  of  his  body  and  then  left  it  with- 
out burial,  but  had  he  been  a  hated  Briton  the  brave  old 
Boers  of  South  Africa  would  have  buried  him  with 
psalms  and  prayers  and  military  honors. 

This  shows  us  just  where  we  are  as  a  nation  to-day, 
having  turned  our  backs  upon  the  principles  of  justice, 
and  the  plain  path  of  duty,  and  pressing  heedlessly  along 
the  bloody  trail  of  tyranny,  we  are  preparing  to  plunge 
into  the  bloody  abyss  of  brutalism. 

Does  any  one  doubt  these  words,  then  read  those  writ- 
ten by  Philippine  Commissioner  Denby  for  the  Forum 
of  February,  1899,  ^s  follows: 

"The  hard  practical  question  alone  remains:  Will  the 
possession  of  these  islands  benefit  us  as  a  nation?  If  it 
will  not,  set  them  free  to-morrow,  and  let  their  people 
if  they  please  cut  each  other's  throats  or  play  what 
pranks  they  please." 

Listen  to  the  words  of  Senator  Carter,  late  Chairman 
of  the  Republican  National  Committee: 


HOW   A   HERO    DIED   FOR   FREEDOM.        349 

"This  is  a  practical  age.  We  are  going  to  deal  with 
the  question  on  the  basis  of  dollars  and  cents.  Neither 
religion  nor  sentiment  will  have  much  influence  in  de- 
termining the  verdict.  The  great  question  will  be,  will 
it  pay?" 

The  issue  then  is  between  the  devil  and  the  dollar  on 
one  side,  and  God  and  humanity  on  the  other! 

Such  a  man  as  General  Pilar  is  worthy  of  more  than 
passing  notice,  so  we  quote  another  touching  tribute  to 
his  worth,  by  Mr.  McCutcheon  in  the  Chicago  Record* 
of  February  3,  1900,  under  date  of  Manila,  December 
23,  1899: 

'Two  men  who  were  hotly  pressed  turned  to  fire  on 
the  foremost  of  the  pursuers,  who,  panting  and  tired, 
were  coming  after  them.  Both  insurgents  were  killed. 
One  of  the  soldiers  pushed  a  wounded  man  over  the 
brink  of  the  precipice.  Six  dead  bodies  lay  along  the 
trail,  just  beyond  the  barricade,  but  none  was  found  at 
or  near  the  rock  which  had  played  such  a  prominent  part 
in  the  defenses  of  the  Filipinos.  This  rock,  which  is 
known  for  miles  around  as  El  Obispo,  or  The  Bishop,' 
juts  out  of  the  mountain  side  just  to  the  right  of  the  bar- 
ricade and  was  found  to  bear  the  marks  of  many  bullets. 
Nearly  all  the  Filipino  casualties  occurred  during  their 
hopeless  flight  up  the  trail  in  the  endeavor  to  reach  the 
second  barricade.  In  this  flight  they  were  obliged  to 
pass  many  exposed  places  and  at  those  times  the  sharp- 
shooters picked  them  off.  It  was  a  bloody  half-mile  be- 
tween the  two  barricades.  Besides  the  bodies  remaining 
in  the  trail,  the  little  animal  paths  leading  upward  were 
bloody  and  strewn  with  hats,  cartridge  belts  and  other 
articles  which  had  been  cast  away. 

"Gen.  Gregorio  del  Pilar  was  the  last  man  to  fall. 
He  was  striving  to  escape  up  the  trail  and  had  already 
received  a  wound  in  the  shoulder.  A  native  was  holding 
his  horse  for  him  and  just  as  he  was  preparing  to  mount 
a  Krag-Jorgensen  bullet  caught  him  in  the  neck,  and 
passing  through,  came  out  just  below  his  mouth.    The 


350       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

men  of  Company  E,  rushing  up  the  trail,  caught  the  na- 
tive, who  was  endeavoring  to  secure  the  papers  which 
the  general  had  in  his  pockets,  and  a  moment  later  cap- 
tured the  horse. 

''At  that  time  no  one  knew  who  the  dea  i  man  was,  but 
from  his  uniform  and  insignia  they  judged  that  he  was 
an  officer  of  high  rank.  The  souvenir  fiend  was  at  once 
at  work  and  the  body  was  stripped  of  everything  of 
value  from  the  diamond  ring  to  the  boots.  A  pair  of 
handsome  field-glasses  with  an  attachment  which  de- 
termined the  ranges  of  the  riflemen  was  turned  over  to 
Captain  Jenkinson  by  one  of  the  men.  Three  little  gold 
lockets  hung  around  his  neck — one  with  an  enamel 
representation  of  a  saint  on  it,  another  a  purely  ornamen- 
tal one  and  the  last  a  small  Agnus  Dei.  He  wore  silver 
spurs,  sb  oulder-straps  of  gold  and  a  new  khaki  suit  such 
as  all  the  higher  Filipino  officers  wear.  He  carried  no 
sword.  In  one  of  his  pockets  was  an  American  $20  gold 
piece,  which  he  had  shown  to  me  when  he  was  in  Manila 
with  a  peace  embassy  some  months  before. 

"The  articles  of  most  importance  and  interest,  how- 
ever, were  the  documents  which  he  had  in  his  pockets. 
Of  these  there  were  many,  all  of  which  were  turned  over 
to  Major  Marsh.  Some  were  muster  rolls,  some  were 
letters  and  instructions  from  Aguinaldo,  one  was  a  note 
from  Aguinaldo  which  had  been  brought  by  the  native 
to  Pilar  during  the  fight.  When  the  native  was  searched 
the  receipt  for  this  note  was  found,  signed  by  Pilar  and 
tucked  away  in  his  hat.  Many  letters  were  found,  most 
of  them  from  his  sweetheart,  Dolores  Jose,  who  lived 
in  Dagupan.  A  handkerchief  bearing  her  name  was  also 
found  in  his  pocket.  One  letter  was  from  the  president 
of  Lingay  and  gave  the  exact  number  of  soldiers  in 
March's  command.  Pilar's  diary,  which  ran  from  No- 
vember 19  on  to  the  day  of  his  death,  was  of  remarkable 
interest,  for  it  detailed  many  things  regarding  the  wild 
flight  of  himself  and  Aguinaldo's  party  up  the  coast.  The 
last  words  written  in  it  were  pathetic  and  indicated 
something  of  the  noble  character  of  the  man.  The  pas- 
sage, which  was  written  only  a  few  minutes  previously, 
while  the  fight  was  on  and  while  death  even  then  was 


HOW   A   HERO    DIED   FOR   FREEDOM.        35l 

before  him,  said :  'I  am  holding  a  difficult  position  against 
desperate  odds,  but  I  will  gladly  die  for  my  beloved 
country/ 

"Pilar  in  command  and  alive,  shooting  down  good 
Americans,  was  one  thing,  but  Pilar  lying  in  that  silent 
mountain  trail,  his  body  half  denuded  of  its  clothes,  and 
his  young,  handsome,  boyish  face  discolored  with  the 
blood  which  saturated  his  blouse  and  stained  the  earth, 
was  another  thing.  We  could  not  help  but  feel  admira- 
tion for  his  gallant  fight  and  sorrow  for  the  sweetheart 
whom  he  left  behind.  The  diary  was  dedicated  to  the  girl 
and  I  have  since  learned  that  he  was  to  have  been  mar- 
ried to  her  in  Dagupan  about  two  weeks  before.  But 
the  Americans  came  too  soon.  Instead  of  wedding  bells 
there  sounded  the  bugle  calls  of  the  foe  and  he  was  hur- 
riedly ordered  to  accompany  his  chief,  Aguinaldo,  on 
that  hasty  retreat  to  the  mountains.  The  marriage  was 
postponed,, and  he  carried  out  his  orders  by  leaving  for 
the  north. 

"Pilar  was  one  of  the  best  types  of  the  Filipino  soldier. 
He  was  only  2^  years  old,  but  he  had  been  through  the 
whole  campaign  in  his  capacity  as  brigadier-general.  It 
was  he  who  commanded  the  forces  at  Quingua  the  day 
that  Colonel  Stotsenberg  was  killed,  and  it  may  be  re- 
membered that  the  engagement  that  day  was  one  of  the 
most  bloody  and  desperate  that  has  occurred  on  the 
island.  He  was  a  handsome  boy,  and  was  known  as  one 
of  the  Filipinos  who  were  actuated  by  honestly  patriotic 
motives,  and  who  fought  because  they  believed  they 
were  fighting  in  the  right,  and  not  for  personal  gain  or 
ambition." 


CHAPTER  L. 

TERRIBLE    STRUGGLE   FOR    RELIGIOUS    LIBERTY. 

In  his  next  letter,  dated  Manila,  December  2y,  1898, 
Mr.  McCutcheon  tells  how  Major  March  and  his  band  of 
Americans  pressed  over  Tilad  Pass  and  followed  the  trail 
to  the  little  "barrio  of  Angaki,"  where  he  states : 


352       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"The  Presidente  said  that  at  2  o'clock  the  day  before  a 
runner,  one  of  the  Catapunans,  had  come  down  from  the 
scene  of  the  fight  with  the  report  of  General  Pilar's  death 
and  the  capture  of  the  pass  by  the  Americans.  The  runner 
had  then  left  hurriedly  to  carry  the  news  to  Aguinaldo 
in  Cervantes." 

Then  he  tells  how  they  "hiked"  away  for  Cer- 
vantes, meeting  natives  who  told  them  "there  were 
still  some  Catapunans  in  Cervantes."  Then  they  met 
some  Spanish  prisoners  who  told  them  "the  insurrectos 
had  only  just  left  town,"  and  reaching  Cervantes,  "the 
Presidente  was  excitedly  talking  about  the  Catapunans." 

His  following  letter,  dated  December  28,  1898,  tells 
of  pressing  on  in  pursuit  of  Aguinaldo  where  "the  trail 
rapidly  leaps  up  into  the  air,  among  pine  trees  of 
the  high  altitude,  when  they  met  the  Presidente  of  Bag- 
nen  who  told  them  'the  Catapunans  had  all  fled.'  " 

Then  he  tells  of  the  trials  of  the  killing  climb  over 
those  mountain  trails,and,speakingof  the  flight  of  Aguin- 
aldo's  party,  says: 

"It  must  have  been  a  terrible  trip,  especially  for 
the  women.  Mrs.  Aguinaldo  is  said  to  have  died  De- 
cember 13,  in  the  village  north  of  Bayombong.  Her 
mental  agony  was  undoubtedly  of  the  keenest  sort. 
Her  baby  had  been  killed  in  the  flight  from  Bayombong 
on  the  railway,  her  eldest  child  and  her  husband's  mother 
had  been  captured,  and  she  had  not  heard  a  word  regard- 
ing their  fate;  her  husband's  best  friend,  Gregorio  del 
Pilar,  had  been  killed,  Concepcion  had  surrendered,  the 
Seyba  girls  (her  lady  companions)  had  left  her,  and  her 
husband  was  in  fear  of  his  life  from  Americans  and  Igor- 
rotes.  If  the  report  of  her  death  be  true  it  can  un- 
doubtedly be  assured  that  death  came  as  a  relief." 

That  death  did  not  come  to  her  relief  at  that  time,  as 
was  rumored,  is  most  remarkable,  and  only  enforces  the 
fact  upon  us,  that  there  are  hundreds  of  thousands  of 


FEARFUL    SUFFERINGS    OF    FILIPINOS.      353 

Filipino  mothers  and  wives  like  Mrs.  Aguinaldo,  and 
sisters  and  sweethearts  like  Dolores  Jose,  to  whom  death 
would  be  a  welcome  relief  to-day. 

General  Wheeler  said  in  San  Francisco  on  his  return 
from  the  PhiHppines: 

"No  one  who  has  not  seen  it  can  have  any  idea  of  the 
extent  to  which  the  poor  Filipinos  have  suffered  on  ac- 
count of  this  war.  It  is  enough  to  make  one's  heart 
bleed  to  see  the  hardships  and  anguish  they  have  to 
undergo." 

Upon  the  people  of  our  Great  Republic  rests  in  crim- 
son stains  the  blood  of  the  innocent  slain  in  their  struggle 
for  freedom. 

Upon  us  lies  the  guilt  of  all  this  awful  agony  which  our 
army  and  navy  have  caused  in  the  name  of  "humanity." 

Heaven  have  mercy  on  the  men  who  have  betrayed 
the  Republic  into  committing  these  crimes,  and  help  us 
to  call  a  halt  on  hell  at  once. 

^  Mr.  John  T.  McCutcheon,  referring  to  Aguinaldo's 
probable  whereabouts  more  recently,  states  in  a  letter 
dated  Manila,  April  21,  1900,  in  the  Chicago  Record  of 
August  13,  1900: 

"One  theory  is  that  Aguinaldo  was  killed  by  the  Igor- 
rotes  three  or  four  days  after  the  fight  at  Tilad  pass. 
Some  prospectors  who  have  just  come  down  from  the 
Igorrote  country  say  that  he  and  his  whole  escort  were 
massacred. 

"Another  theory  is  that  he  is  slowly  making  his  way 
down  to  the  Camarines.  A  letter  dated  January  21,  in 
Morong  province,  and  signed  Aguinaldo,  has  been 
found.  This  is  thought  to  have  been  written  by  the 
leader,  but  the  theory  is  weakened  a  good  deal  by  the 
fact  that  another  Aguinaldo,  a  captain,  has  been  oper- 
ating in  that  district  and  may  have  been  the  writer  of 
the  letter. 

"Another  letter  found  in  the  Laguna  district  directs 


354       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

that  a  guard  of  300  men  be  formed,  the  duty  of  which  is 
to  accompany  'our  beloved  President/  who  is  never  again 
to  be  left  alone  and  unguarded. 

'The  most  recent  story,  however,  is  that  Aguinaldo 
and  a  native  priest  named  Aglipay  are  together  in  Isa- 
bella province,  in  northern  Luzon.  Aglipay  claims  to 
be  the  successor  of  Archbishop  Nozaleda,  having  excom- 
municated the  latter,  and  is  said  to  be  arousing  the  peo- 
ple to  patriotic  and  reHgious  fervor  in  the  cause  of  free- 
dom and  independence.  General  Otis  is  inclined  to 
credit  this  story,  and  he  furthermore  believes  that  a  great 
deal  of  the  present  'ladrone'  activity  is  due  to  the  elo- 
quence and  activity  of  this  agitator.  It  can  be  readily 
conceived  that  this  pair,  one  representing  the  embodi- 
ment of  Filipino  secular  ideals  and  the  other  represent- 
ing the  church,  would  have  a  powerful  influence  on  the 
people. 

"And  still  another  story,  though  not  so  recent,  is  that 
Aguinaldo  has  signified  a  willingness  to  surrender  if  Gen- 
eral Otis  will  see  that  he  is  not  murdered  between  the 
time  he  surrenders  and  the  time  he  reaches  Manila. 

''Buencamino  has  approached  General  Otis  and  pro- 
posed to  arrange  Aguinaldo's  capture,  but  General  Otis 
declined  to  listen  to  his  proposition. 

''Aguinaldo's  fear  of  being  killed  'while  attempting  to 
escape'  is  not  without  foundation.  Nearly  every  soldier 
refers  to  him  in  the*  bitterest  way,  and  never  without 
supplementing  the  remarks  with  the  most  revengeful 
and  abusive  profanity.  I've  heard  many  of  them  say 
that  if  they  ever  laid  eyes  on  him  there  would  be  one 
more  'good  nigger.' 

"For  my  part,  I  can't  help  but  feel  some  admiration 
and  considerable  pity  for  the  man.  It  may  be  that  I 
know  him  better  than  the  soldiers  do,  and  that  I've  made 
something  of  a  study  of  his  characteristics  and  deeds. 

"My  observations  extend  back  to  the  day  when  he 
arrived  from  Hongkong  on  the  M'cCulloch,  and  have 
been  supplemented  by  what  I  have  since  learned  regard- 
ing his  previous  history.    In  the  face  of  these  I  find  it 


NATIVE  RESISTANCE  INCREASING.  355 

impossible  to  think  of  htm  as  the  ambitious  traitor  and 
scoundrel  that  so  many  people  have  called  him." 

Whether  he  is  dead  or  alive,  there  is  no  true  liberty- 
loving  American  who  does  not  sympathize  with  Aguin- 
aldo  in  his  wonderful  fight  for  freedom  against  over- 
whelming odds. 

"[Special  Correspondence  of  the  Chicago  Record.] 

"Manila,  April  22  (1900). — It  seems  undeniably  true, 
in  reviewing  the  situation  here,  that  the  feeling  of  rebel- 
lion has  not  lessened  during  the  last  four  months.  The 
Manila  papers  contain  the  news  of  big  bodies  of  insur- 
gents meeting  our  forces  nearly  every  day  and  of  turbu- 
lent conditions  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  island.  Even 
President  Schurman  of  the  Peace  Commission  could 
not  now  say  that  the  disturbed  districts  were  confined 
to  the  Tagalo  sections.  At  one  time  he  made  the  remark 
that  the  fighting,  rebellious  element  of  the  Filipinos  was 
confined  to  that  section  of  Luzon  south  of  Dagupan  and 
north  of  Cavite  province.  Beyond  these  lines  the  people 
were  peacefully  inclined. 

"But  recent  campaigning  out  in  the  "peaceful"  sec- 
tions has  shown  a  deep  hostiUty  among  the  people  and 
nearly  as  much  opposition  as  has  been  shown  in  the 
Tagalo  sections.  We  have"  found  that  the  leaders  of  the 
revolution  in  all  parts  of  the  Philippines  have  been 
chiefly  Tagalos,  which  is  to  be  expected,  for  the  Tagalos 
are  better  educated,  more  aggressive  and  have  suffered 
more  from  the  oppression  of  the  Spanish  officials  and 
friars.  Among  the  soldiers,  however — the  men  in  the 
ranks — ^we  have  found  as  many  men  of  other  tribes  as 
of  Tagalos.  In  the  Visayas  there  are  hundreds  of  Visay- 
ans  under  arms;  in  the  Camarines  there  are  many  Bicols, 
and  in  the  north  of  Luzon  there  are  a  great  many  Ilo- 
canos. 

"There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Philippine  rebellions  have 
been  incited  and  led  by  Tagalos,  but  observation  has 
shown  that  the  people  of  all  sections,  regardless  of 
tribes,  have  flocked  to  the  standard  and  principles  pro- 
claimed by  the  Tagalos.    In  the  1896  rebellion  the  fight- 


356       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

ing  was  almost  entirely  in  Tagalo  provinces,  and  the 
insurrectionists  were  largely  composed  of  Tagalos,  but  in 
this  present  rebellion  the  fighting  has  extended  to  every 
class;  the  army  has  been  recruited  from  all  sections, 
although  the  Tagalos  have  been  the  directing  spirits. 

''Within  the  last  two  months  it  has  been  noticed  that 
great  numbers  of  bolo  men  have  joined  with  the  rifle- 
men of  the  insurgent  army.  It  has  also  been  noticed  that 
these  bolo  men,  instead  of  being  cowardly,  have  attacked 
several  of  our  garrisoned  towns  with  the  fierce  blindness 
of  religious  fanatics. 

"The  town  of  Bacon,  in  Albay  province,  was  attacked 
by  500  armed  insurgents  on  the  night  of  April  16. 
They  were  driven  off,  leaving  forty  dead  on  the  field. 
On  April  17  200  natives  entered  the  town  of  Laoag, 
in  northern  Luzon,  and  attempted  an  uprising.  Twenty 
were  armed  with  rifles  and  the  rest  with  bolos,  pikes  and 
clubs.  Forty-four  men  were  killed,  the  uprising  was 
quelled  and  the  American  loss  was  none.  On  April  16 
between  600  and  700  attacked  the  town  of  Batac,  in  Ilo- 
cos  Norte.  There  was  some  desperate  hand-to-hand 
fighting,  two  Americans  were  killed,  three  wounded  and 
the  Filipinos  lost  180  killed. 

'These  are  samples  of  the  fights  which  occur  very  fre- 
quently out  in  the  provinces.  They  read  very  much  as 
the  old  Spanish  telegrams  read — hundreds  of  the  enemy 
killed,  with  comparatively  no  loss  to  the  side  sending  the 
report.  We  can  now  understand  the  conditions  which 
made. such  unequal  casualty  lists  possible.  The  natives 
have  inferior  arms,  no  discipline,  and  are  impelled  by 
religious  or  patriotic  fervor,  unheedful  of  the  great  dis- 
parity of  arms,  and  relying  on  their  superiority  of  num- 
bers. 

"The  great  proportion  of  bolo  men  in  the  recent  fight- 
ing, together  with  the  fanatical  fury  of  some  of  their 
attacks,  indicates  that  some  influences  are  at  work  to 
enlist  the  active  co-operation  of  the  mass  of  people. 
These  bolo  men,  for  the  greater  part,  are  the  workers  in 
the  fields — the  common  people  and  peasants — who 
require  an  unusual  impuls*^  +0  spur  them  on  to  combat 


SPANISH  WARFARE  REVIVED.  357 

a  force  of  conditions  which  they  have  hitherto  dreaded 
and  feared.  We  have  heard  more  of  bolo  men  in  the 
last  three  months  than  at  any  like  period  during  the 
insurrection,  and  there  must  be  some  particular  reason 
in  their  unusual  activity. 

'The  explanation  of  this  new  and  fanatical  hostility  is 
thought  to  be  Archbishop  Chappelle's  attitude  regard- 
ing the  friars.  It  is  said,  with  considerable  authority, 
that  he  has  been  working  steadily  to  have  the  friars  rein- 
stated in  their  parishes  and  to  protect  the  property  of  the 
religious  orders  from  confiscation  or  legal  complications. 
When  he  came  here  he  at  once  became  closely  identified 
with  the  friars.  On  the  7th  of  January  he  had  an  inter- 
view with  the  Father  Provincial  of  the  Dominican  Order 
of  Friars,  in  which  he  is  reported  as  having  said  that 
President  McKinley  realized  the  necessity  of  the  monas- 
tic orders  remaining  in  the  Philippines.  He  further  said 
that  the  friars  of  the  Philippines  have  alarmed  them- 
selves without  any  reason. 

'I  know,'  he  continued,  'their  importance  in  this 
country,  and  am  openly  disposed  in  their  favor.  *  *  * 
If  the  friars  occupy  the  parishes  they  will  be  consid- 
ered as  elements  of  good  order,  and  therefore  as  Amer- 
ican agents.  As  Am.erica  is  thoroughly  convinced  of 
the  necessity  for  the  retention  of  the  friars  in  the  Phil- 
ippines, the  monastic  orders  will  be  given  the  necessary 
prestige,  which  will  be  much  greater  than  it  was  during 
the  Spanish  regime.  Father  McKinnon,  who  will  be 
appointed  to  a  high  position  in  the  archipelago,  will 
protect  the  friars  and  be  the  mediator  between  them  and 
the  American  authorities  here.' 

'This  interview  was  published  in  the  Progress©,  and 
the  writer  of  it  claims  it  is  authentic  with  as  much  vehe- 
mence as  Archbishop  Chappelle  denies  it.  I  do  not 
know  whether  or  not  it  is  true,  but  at  any  rate  this 
publication  of  it  had  the  effect  of  a  bursting  bombshell 
among  the  Filipinos.  There  came  from  all  parts  of  the 
islands  long  petitions  from  the  people  begging  that  the 
friars  be  not    forced  upon  them  again.     A    telegram, 


35^       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

signed  by  representative  Filipinos,  was  sent  to  the  Pope, 
and  a  delegation  was  sent  to  Rome  with  a  protest. 

"There  were  columns  of  discussion  in  the  Spanish 
papers,  all  of  which  tended  to  inflame  the  people  and 
make  them  apprehensive  of  the  future. 

"The  Patria  said  that  'the  counter-manipulation  which 
certain  elements  are  trying  to  carry  out  by  all  means  to 
secure  the  friars'  return  to  the  parishes  will  be  quite 
fruitless,  as  the  freedom  of  the  individual  and  right  of 
conscience  have  now  become  entirely  free.  All  the 
means  of  corruption,  including  gold,  will  prove  useless  to 
prostitute  and  to  disguise  the  truth  respecting  the  alleged 
love  of  the  Philippine  people  toward  their  former  jailors 
and  exacters.' 

'*A  number  of  citizens  called  on  General  Otis  to  learn 
whether  America's  intentions  were  correctly  stated  in 
the  remarks  attributed  to  Archbishop  Chappelle. 

"The  Progresso,  in  this  connection,  said  on  January 
23:  'The  few  words  from  General  Otis  denying  that 
the  United  States  government  intends  to  compel  the 
Philippine  people  to  accept  the  monastic  orders  have 
been  sufficient  to  take  away  from  the  people's  minds 
the  bitter  uncertainties  which  darkened  them,  and  have 
given  new  life  to  their  hopes.  The  Philippines,  in  the 
time  of  the  Spanish  regime,  rather  than  being  a  Spanish 
colony,  from  which  the  mother  country  could  have 
derived  resources  for  strengthening  its  power  in  this 
world,  were  only  an  inexhaustible  mine  for  the  monastic 
corporations.  To  prove  this  let  one  take  a  walk  through 
the  city  and  observe  the  main  buildings  or  inquire  at 
the  foreign  banks  as  to  the  enormous  sums  of  money 
deposited  in  them,  or  view  the  fields  of  the  Cavite, 
Laguna  and  Cebu  provinces,  the  necropolis  of  the  Span- 
ish power,  and  the  PhiHppine  'expallarium,'  and  he  who 
studies  all  of  this  will  exclaim:  'Oh,  people,  how  dear 
you  have  paid  for  the  friars!'  These  things  are  at  pres- 
ent being  considered  by  all  the  Filipinos,  and  a  feeling 
of  gratitude  comes  from  the  hearts  of  all  of  them  toward 
General  Otis  for  his  reassuring  words,  which  will,  we  are 


NATIVE  PRESS  PROTESTS.        '  359 

sure,  assume  a  reality.     The  American  democratic  his- 
tory could  not  do  otherwise.' 


CHAPTER   LI. 

CHAPPELLE'S   RECEPTION   AND   ANTI-FRIAR 
DEMONSTRATIONS. 

"On  January  23  a  reception  was  given  at  Melacanan 
palace  by  Archbishop  Chappelle  to  the  parish  priests 
and  Filipino  Catholics.  About  a  dozen  American  offi- 
cers were  present,  and  the  Archbishop  was  supported  by 
several  representatives  of  the  Spanish  monastic  orders, 
including  Dr.  Nozaleda,  Archbishop  of  Manila.  Close 
in  attendance  was  Chaplain  McKinnon,  in  full  United 
States  army  uniform,  though  he  is  now  doing  no  regi- 
mental duty.  The  Filipinos  attach  great  significance  to 
the  presence  of  an  army  officer  in  the  Archbishop's 
retinue.  They  have  often  asked  whether  it  meant  that 
the  Archbishop  was  to  have  the  army  to  enforce  his 
wishes. 

''Archbishop  Chappelle  made  a  few  remarks  to  the  gath- 
ering, at  the  close  of  which  somebody  cried,  'Tuera  los 
friales!"  The  crowd  took  up  the  cry,  *Tuera!  Fuera!" 
(Away  with  them.)  The  shout  passed  out  into  the  street, 
where  many  hundreds  of  excited  Filipinos  had  gathered, 
and  it  was  sounding  abroad  when  General  Otis  appeared. 
Then  the  cry,  "Viva  Otis!"  mingled  with  the  other,  and 
he  entered  the  building  amid  continuous  cries  of  "Viva 
Otis!"  "Fuera  los  friales!"  "Fuera  Nozaleda!"  and  "Viva 
America!" 

"When  the  friars  were  beginning  to  withdraw  each  one 
was  hooted  in  the  street,  and  the  shouts  of  the  crowd 
took  the  ominous  form  of  "Muerte  a  los  friales!"  (Death 
to  the  friars.) 

"One  of  the  clerics  afterward  stated  that  all  the  demon- 
stration was  mere  effervescence,  the  machinations  of  a 
few  malevolent  persons.  Freemasons  and  others. 

"In  .another  issue  of  La  Patria,  an  anti-friar  organ,  is 
an  article  from  which  I  quote  the  following: 

*     *     *     Tf,  in  spite  of  what  is  said  above,  the  Span- 


360       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

ish  friars  are  to  remain  in  the  Philippines  and  retain  all 
of  their  former  privileges,  then  the  harm  which  the  Cath- 
olic faith  is  going  to  suffer  in  this  part  of  the  far  East 
is  incalculable.  By  right  of  spiritual  administration  the 
souls  in  the  archipelago  ought  to  be  intrusted  to  our  sec- 
ular clergy  alone,  and  if  for  the  present  there  are  not 
sufficient  Philippine  priests  for  all  the  parishes,  some  of 
these  might  be  temporarily  placed  in  charge  of  foreign 
clergymen,  but  never  of  the  orders  now  in  the  archipel- 
ago, who  are  the  eternal  and  irreconcilable  enemies  of 
the  whole  of  the  Philippines.' 

*This  church  controversy  was  the  fiercest  along  in  the 
latter  part  of  January.  The  insurgents  since  that  time 
have  used  it  to  enlist  the  waning  feeling  of  rebellion  in 
the  minds  of  the  people.  It  is  believed  that  this  agitation 
of  a  question  so  near  to  the  hearts  of  the  people  has  had 
a  great  effect  in  stimulating  the  hostility  of  the  peasants 
and  bolo  men. 

"When  one  reflects  that  the  chief  aspiration  of  the  Fili- 
pino people  for  years  has  been  the  riddance  of  the  friars, 
it  is  seen  what  a  powerful  and  effective  incentive  to  rebel- 
lion is  the  announcement  that  America  is  going  to  return 
the  friars  to  their  parishes  and  protect  them  with  armed 
forces. 

"The  expulsion  of  the  friars  is  more  generally  desired 
than  independence,  which  is  an  uncertain,  unknown  state 
which  the  people  do  not  thoroughly  understand.  But 
they  do  understand  what  the  friars  have  done  in  the 
past  and  what  they  may  do  in  the  future  if  returned  to 
the  provinces. 

'There  are  many  good  friars  and  many  bad  ones.  I 
don't  know  which  are  the  greater  in  numbers,  but  the 
ambition  of  the  Filipinos  to  have  them  all  expelled  leads 
me  to  suspect  that  most  of  them  have  been  bad.  The 
friars  have  done  more  than  any  other  agency  in  educat- 
ing the  people  and  in  teaching  them  methods  of  agricul- 
ture. But  they  have  not  done  this  work  for  nothing,  as 
is  testified  by  the  immense  wealth  which  some  of  the 
orders  have  acquired. 

"The    Filipino   people    are   devoted   to   the   Catholic 


FILIPINOS  FAITHFUL  CATHOLICS.  361 

church,  but  they  hate  the  Spanish  representatives  of  the 
church.  Whether  FiHpino  priests  would  improve  condi- 
tions is  something  which  would  require  time  to  prove. 
I've  met  many  very  cultured  and  learned  native  priests, 
but  I  doubt  whether  there  are  enough  of  that  kind  to 
fill  the  pulpits  of  all  the  hundreds  of  churches  in  the 
Philippines.  The  installation  of  Protestant  churches  in 
the  islands  would  not  be  successful,  in  my  opinion,  for 
the  people  are  too  deeply  attached  to  the  institutions  of 
the  Catholic  church.  They  are  devoted  to  the  religious 
fiestas,  which,  in  the  Philippines,  constitute  such  a  great 
and  impressive  feature  of  their  worship.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  any  other  creed,  destitute  of  all  these  imposing 
displays  which  appeal  so  strongly  to  the  senses  of  East- 
ern peoples,  could  make  much  headway  at  present  in 
these  islands. 

"Returning  to  the  discussion  of  the  present  military 
situation,  I  am  convinced  that  the  agitation  regarding 
the  return  of  the  friars  to  the  provinces  is  the  chief 
impulse  which  has  aroused  the  recent  bitter  antagonism 
and  activity  of  the  people.  If  the  friars  are  returned 
against  the  manifest  wishes  of  the  people,  the  trouble 
that  will  ensue  will  require  many  soldiers  for  a  long 
period  in  the  islands,  not  only  to  protect  the  friars,  but 
to  prevent  another  such  anti-friar  rebellion  as  the  one 
of  1896." 

The  Manila  Times  of  January  24,  1900,  contained  the 
following  account  of  the  reception  given  by  Archbishop 
Chappelle  on  the  23d,  together  with  a  graphic  descrip- 
tion of  the  disturbance  that  followed,  from  which  it  is 
possible  to  form  some  idea  of  the  feeling  among  the  Fili- 
pinos of  Manila  as  to  the  friars : 

'The  house  was  gaily  decorated  and  brightly  illu- 
minated. Some  hundreds  of  Filipinos  attended,  being 
about  equally  divided  between  priests  and  laymen.  Very 
few  Philippine  ladies  attended,  as  there  had  been  rumors 
of  a  possible  disturbance. 

''About  a  dozen  American  army  officers,  with  their 


362       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

wives,  were  present,  and  the  Archbishop  was  supported 
by  several  representatives  of  the  Spanish  monastic 
orders,  including  Dr.  Nozaleda,  Archbishop  of  Manila. 
Close  in  attendance  was  Chaplain  McKinnon,  in 
full  United  States  army  uniform,  though  he  is  now 
doing  no  regimental  duty.  The  Filipinos  attach  an 
undue  significance  to  the  presence  of  an  army  officer  in 
the  Archbishop's  retinue.  Our  representative  was  sev- 
eral times  asked  whether  it  meant  that  the  Archbishop 
was  to  have  the  army  to  enforce  his  wishes,  and  of  course 
replied  with  an  emphatic  negative. 

"Punctually  at  5  p.  m.  the  Filipinos  and  Filipinas  began 
coming  in,  being  presented  one  by  one  to  his  reverence, 
kissing  his  hand,  and  some  kissing  the  hem  of  his  robe. 
Right  at  the  outset  a  Philippine  lady,  on  making  her 
obeisance,  produced  a  document  which  she  wished  to 
read  to  the  Archbishop,  petitioning  for  the  expulsion  of 
friars  from  the  Philippines,  abolition  of  the  orders 
entirely,  and  transfer  of  their  vast  properties  either  to  the 
state  or  to  a  reorganized  Philippine  church. 

"Dr.  Chappelle  gently  but  firmly  shut  the  lady  up, 
saying  this  was  neither  the  time  nor  the  place  for 
such  things.    He  declined  to  receive  the  petition. 

"A  few  minutes  later,  however,  he  decided  to  make 
a  public  statement  on  the  burning  question,  and  imme- 
diately the  whole  assemblage  gathered  in  a  circle  around 
him,  while  he  said,  in  fairly  good  Spanish,  speaking 
slowly  in  a  clear,  quiet  voice: 

"'Venerable  Sacerdotes:  I  think  it  will  be  useful  for 
you  to  have  one  or  two  conferences  with  me.  First, 
you  get  together  all  the  secular  priests  and  decide  for 
yourselves  what  it  is  that  you  want,  and  then  come  to 
me,  tell  me  all  about  it,  speak  out  quite  frankly  and 
freely.  It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  tell  you  that  I 
have  the  interests  of  the  secular  clergy  thoroughly  at 
heart,  for  I  am  a  secular  priest  like  yourselves.  I  wish 
to  say  that  it  is  not  necessary  for  the  newspapers  to  med- 
dle in  these  matters.  These  are  questions  solely  to  be 
decided  by  the  authorities  of  the  church.  As  I  said  just 
now  in  conversation  with  some  of  you,  I  am  here  not 


CHAPPELLE'S  PROMISES.  3^3 

merely  to  do  bare  justice,  but  all  possible  favors  to  you, 
and  to  grant  all  your  legitimate  aspirations.  [Loud 
applause.]  But  I  think  it  is  quite  contrary  to  the  highest 
and  best  interest,  under  the  present  circumstances,  for 
these  questions  of  religion  to  be  discussed  in  the  news- 
papers, because  the  newspapers,  and  especially  some  of 
those  which  are  concerning  themselves  most  actively  in 
the  matter,  do  not  understand  all  the  circumstances  of 
the  case.  In  fact,  some  of  them,  judging  by  their  utter- 
ances, do  not  know  anything  at  all  about  it.  For  exam- 
ple, they  attribute  to  me  this  or  that  plan,  when  as  a 
matter  of  fact  I  have  not  as  yet  taken  a  single  decision  on 
any  of  the  matters  in  hand.  But  I  can  assure  you  that  in 
due  course  of  time,  whatever  we  may  have  to  do  tem- 
porarily in  the  way  of  retaining  friars  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  men  to  replace  them,  in  time  all  your  secular 
priests  in  the  Philippines  will  have  the  same  status  as 
the  secular  clergy  in  all  other  countries — the  same  as 
in  Rome  itself,  or  Paris,  or  New  York,  or  my  own  city. 
New  Orleans.  [Loud  applause.]  But  before  that  can 
be  accomplished  there  are  many  matters  to  settle,  and 
we  will  discuss  all  our  affairs  in  good- time;  but  news- 
paper discussions  are  quite  contrary  to  the  interests  of 
the  country.  General  Otis  and  I  will  arrange  matters 
on  a  basis  that  will  prove  satisfactory.' 

''Immediately  the  Archbishop  ceased  speaking  some- 
body cried,  Tuera  los  friales!'  The  crowd  took  up  the 
cry,  Tuera!  Fuera!'  (Away  with  them!)  The  shout 
passed  out  into  the  street,  where  many  hundreds  of 
excited  Filipinos  had  gathered,  and  it  was  echoed  abroad 
on  the  evening  air  just  as  General  Otis  came  to  the  place. 
Then  the  cry,  'Viva  Otis!'  mingled  with  the  other,  and 
he  entered  the  building  amid  continuous  cries  of  'Viva 
Otis!'  'Fuera  los  frailes!'  'Viva  America!'  'Fuera  Noza- 
leda!' 

"This  is  the  first  time  General  Otis  has  gone  to  any 
social  function  in  Manila  except  the  politico-social 
reunion  given  by  President  McKinley's  commissioners 
nearly  a  year  ago.  His  visit  yesterday  has  therefore 
attracted  more  attention  on  that  account.    General  Otis 


364       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

was  accompanied  by  Major  Murray,  Lieutenant  Stanley 
and  Lieutenant  Sladen.  After  a  few  minutes'  conversa- 
tion with  the  Archbishop  and  with  some  of  the  Amer- 
ican visitors,  General  Otis  withdrew,  being  again 
greeted  with  Vivas'  and  cries  of  'Fuera  los  frailes!'  as  he 
departed. 

''Later  Archbishop  Chappelle  announced  that  he 
would  hold  a  conference  with  the  Filipino  priests  on 
Thursday.  When  the  friars  began  to  withdraw  each  one 
was  hooted  in  the  street,  and  the  shouts  of  the  mob  took 
the  ominous  form  of  'Muerte  a  los  frailes!'  (Death  to  the 
friars!). 

"We  were  told  by  passers-by  that  at  one  time  the  cries 
of  'Muerte  a  los  frailes!'  were  so  threatening  that  sev- 
eral friars  who  were  coming  to  the  reception  hesitated  on 
the  sight  of  the  mob,  and  after  a  moment's  survey  took 
to  their  heels.  There  was,  however,  no  act  of  violence 
whatever — nothing  beyond  the  shouting." 

A  Manila  correspondent  of  the  Standard  stated: 

'This  last  reception  is  the  sensation  of  the  hour,  next 
in  importance  to  the  disclosure  of  Chappelle's  private 
address  to  the  friars,  in  which  he  declared  his  affection 
and  admiration  for  Archbishop  Nozaleda,  of  Manila,  who 
is  a  product  of  the  Dominican  order,  and  his  intention  to 
retain  the  friars  in  the  parishes,  not  one  statement  of 
which  disclosure  has  he  denied  up  to  this  date. 

"It  is  clear  that  Chappelle  has  before  him  no  easy  task 
to  retain  the  friars  and  the  Filipinos  at  the  same  time. 
It  is  for  him  to  decide  whether  the  people  of  these  islands 
are  of  more  value  to  the  Pope  than  the  monastic  orders." 

We  quote  the  following,  with  the  suggestion  that  pos- 
sibly the  people  of  the  United  States  may  have  some 
choice  to  make  in  this  matter. 


A  CHURCH  CONTROVERSY.  365 

CHAPTER  LII. 

INDEPENDENCE  OR  EXTERMINATION. 

[Correspondence  of  the  Associated  Press.] 
''Manila,  June  12  (1900). — 'More  soldiers,'  is  the 
demand  which  is  coming  to  General  MacArthur  from 
every  department  of  the  islands.  Recent  events  have 
worked  to  vindicate  General  Lawton's  judgment  that 
100,000  troops  would  be  needed  to  establish  American 
sovereignty  over  the  Philippines.  Until  they  attempted 
to  hold  provinces  of  200,000  or  300,000  hostile  people 
with  a  regiment  or  two,  the  American  commanders 
hardly  realized  the  size  of  the  Philippine  Islands.  *  *  * 
''The  church  has  become  a  troublesome  factor  in 
Young's  territory,  Aglipay,  the  priest  who  has  pro- 
claimed himself  as  Archbishop  of  the  Philippines,  and 
excommunicated  Archbishop  Nozaleda,  is  in  the  field  as 
a  General.  His  forces  attacked  Captain  Dodd  of  the  Third 
Cavalry  at  Batoc,  where  more  than  200  Filipinos  were 
slain.  Aglipay  commanded  in  person  and  there  is  an 
unproven  report  that  he  was  among  the  killed.  His  fol- 
lowers fought  with  the  recklessness  of  Mohammedan 
fanatics. 

"They  approached  the  Americans  in  three  lines.  An 
advance  guard  of  women  was  arranged  with  the  expecta- 
tion that  the  Americans  would  not  fire  upon  them. 
After  the  women  a  line  of  bolo  men  and  others  armed 
only  with  wooden  swords,  no  more  dangerous  than 
policemen's  clubs,  and  behind  the  bolo  men  the  rifle- 
men. Happily,  the  women  threw  themselves  flat  upon 
the  ground  and  sought  shelter  at  the  first  fire,  so  that 
few  of  them  were  injured.  The  soldiers  thought  they 
were  men  dressed  in  women's  clothes.  The  onslaught 
of  the  bolo  men  was  like  the  descent  of  the  Mahdi's 
fanatics  upon  Kitchener's  squad  at  Khartum.  They  kept 
coming  on  faster  than  the  soldiers  could  shoot  them 
down,  until  they  were  so  close  that  our  cavalrymen  had 
not  time  to  fire  and  load,  but  went  through  them  with 
clubbed  carbines." 

On  page  70  of  General  Otis'  official  report  of  August 


366       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

31,  1899,  he  states  that  after  the  issuing  of  his  proclama- 
tion of  January  4,  1899,  a  general  protest  arose  against 
President  McKinley's  benevolent  assimilation  pro- 
gramme, and  adds: 

''Even  the  women  of  Cavite  province,  in  a  document 
numerously  signed  by  them,  gave  me  to  understand  that 
after  all  the  men  are  killed  off  they  are  prepared  to  shed 
their  patriotic  blood  for  the  liberty  and  independence  of 
their  country." 

Upon  page  134  of  the  same  report,  referring  to  the 
universal  spirit  of  opposition  to  American  occupation, 
in  May,  1899,  he  shows  that  even  the  children  had  caught 
the  contagion  of  patriotism,  which  certainly  looks  badly 
for  future  ''pacification" — thus: 

"Among  them  a  battalion  of  boys  of  tender  age 
appeared,  whose  mission  was  to  throw  stones  at  the 
enemy  under  the  guidance  of  Providence;  but  one  or  two 
of  the  little  fellows  were  wounded,  and  the  desire  for 
self-preservation  being  stronger  than  their  religious 
enthusiasm,  they  were  seen  no  more." 

But  many  Filipino  battlefields  have  been  marked  by 
the  blood  of  mere  boys,  fighting  for  freedom. 

We  ask  the  attention  of  all  those  who  may  have  hon- 
estly believed  with  President  McKinley  when  he  stated 
in  his  proclamation  of  December  5,  1899,  as  follows: 
"I  still  believe  that  this  transfer  of  sovereignty  was  in 
accordance  with  the  wishes  and  the  aspirations  of  the 
great  mass  of  the  Filipino  people,"  to  the  following  words 
of  General  MacArthur,  the  present  Governor-General  of 
the  Philippines,  as  reported  by  the  correspondent  of  the 
"Criterion": 

"When  I  first  started  in  against  these  rebels  I  be- 
lieved that  Aguinaldo's  troops  represented  only  a  faction. 
I  did  not  like  to  believe  that  the  whole  population  on 
Luzon — the  native  population,  that  is — was  opposed  to 


LIBERTY  OR  DEATH.  307 

us  and  our  offers  of  aid  and  good  government.  But 
after  having  come  this  far,  after  having  occupied  several 
towns  and  cities  in  succession,  and  having  been  brought 
much  into  contact  with  both  insurrectos  and  amigos,  I 
have  been  reluctantly  compelled  to  believe  that  the  Fili- 
pino masses  are  loyal  and  devoted  to  Aguinaldo  and  the 
government  which  he  heads." 

It  is  time  for  the  American  people  to  appreciate  the 
fact  that  the  Filipinos  are  in  earnest,  and  we  call  atten- 
tion to  the  following  view  of  an  intelligent,  disinterested 
foreigner: 

[By  the  Associated  Press.] 
**New  York,  July  28  (1900). — A  dispatch  to  the  Herald 
from  Paris  says :  'Jean  Hess,  French  explorer  and  writer 
on  colonial  subjects,  after  passing  three  weeks  at  Manila, 
wrote  a  long  letter,  dated  Hongkong,  June  20.  Mr. 
Hess  says  the  idea  of  independence  is  in  the  heart  of  the 
Filipino  race,  and  will  only  be  destroyed  by  destroying 
the  race." 

The  following  is  interesting  in  this  connection: 
Special  Cable  to  the  Daily  News. 
[Copyright,  1900,  by  the  Chicago  Daily  News.] 

"London,  May  26. — Frank  Berger  of  New  Jer- 
sey, who  has  been  offered  the  Chief  Justiceship  of  the 
Island  of  Porto  Rico  by  President  McKinley,  told  your 
correspondent  to-day  that  Governor  Roosevelt's  pro- 
gramme for  the  next  four  years  includes  a  second  term  as 
Governor  of  New  York  and  two  years  as  Governor-Gen- 
eral of  the  Philippines:    Mr.  Berger  said: 

"  'Governor  Roosevelt  openly  confessed  his  ambition 
to  serve  his  country  as  chief  administrator  of  the  Philip- 
pines. No  appointment  could  be  more  fitting  for  the 
famous  leader  of  the  Rough  Riders.  Governor  Roosevelt 
hankers  after  a  life  of  physical  exertion.  He  is  peculiarly 
endowed  with  the  requirements  for  such  a  position.' 

"President  McKinley  took  occasion  to  discuss  the 
colonial  future  of  the  United  States  with  Mr.  Berger 


368       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

while  tendering  him  the  Porto  Rican  judgeship.  Mr. 
Berger  says  that  it  is  the  President's  desire  to  make  the 
government  of  Porto  Rico  a  model  for  an  extensive  colo- 
nial system,  which  the  chief  executive  believes  the  United 
States  is  on  the  threshold  of  establishing. 

''  'So  far/  said  Mr.  Berger,  *as  the  Philippines  are  con- 
cerned, in  my  opinion,  the  extermination  of  the  natives 
is  America's  only  hope  of  ever  being  able  to  establish  a 
stable  government.  So  long  as  the  Filipinos  are  per- 
mitted to  live  as  they  now  do,  the  islands  will  be  the  the- 
ater of  strife,  insurrection  and  savagery.  They  are  not 
endowed  by  nature  with  the  qualities  of  a  ruling  race.' " 

General  Shafter,  of  Santiago  fame,  declared  in  the 
Chicago  News  of  April  i8,  1899 : 

"It  may  be  necessary  to  kill  half  the  Filipinos  in  order 
that  the  remaining  half  of  the  population  may  be  ad- 
vanced to  a  higher  plane  of  life  than  their  present  semi- 
barbarous  state  affords." 

And  now  another  advocate  of  "civilization"  states  it  as 
his  opinion  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  kill  the  other  half 
if  we  are  ever  to  establish  "a  stable  government"  there. 

His  ideal  of  "a  stable  government"  must  be  either  hell 
on  earth  or  a  great  national  graveyard  for  the  Fili- 
pinos. 

What  Mr.  McKinley's  "model  for  an  extensive  colonial 
system"  would  be  under  such  a  "Chief  Justice"  we  could 
hardly  imagine,  unless  it  might  be  a  wholesale  human 
slaughter-house,  or  a  combined  Armenian  massacre  and 
Boxer  rebellion,  improved  upon  by  American  "civiliza- 
tion" mercenaries. 


ROOSEVELT'S  WORDS.  3^9 

CHAPTER   LIII. 

WONDERFUL  WORDS   AND    SPLENDID   PRECE- 
DENTS. 

We  turn  from  such  sickening  talks  of  Shafters  and 
Shylocks  to  words  more  worthy  of  men  and  Americans. 

Governor  Theodore  Roosevelt  declared  at  the  reunion 
of  the  Rough  Riders,  in  Oklahoma,  on  July  3,  1900,  as 
follows : 

"No  nation,  no  matter  how  glorious  its  record,  can 
exist  unless  it  practices — practices,  mind  you,  not  merely 
preaches — civic  honesty,  civic  decency,  civic  righteous- 
ness. No  nation  can  permanently  prosper  unless  the 
Decalogue  and  the  Golden  Rule  are  its  guides  in  public 
as  in  private  life." 

Had  we  practiced  what  we  preach  in  the  Philippines, 
we  would  have  a  nation  of  loyal,  liberty-loving  allies 
there  to-day,  instead  of  mortal  foes,  fighting  to  the  death. 

Mr.  Roosevelt  is  right,  for  the  Decalogue  and  Golden 
Rule  are  not  out  of  date.  The  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence is  not,  nor  will  it  ever  be  a  dead  letter  so  long  as 
right  is  right,  and  truth  is  truth,  and  justice  is  justice. 

The  Declaration  of  Independence  is  the  Golden  Rule 
applied  to  politics — the  doing  unto  others  as  nations 
what  we  would  that  they  should  do  to  us  as  a  people — 
the  fulfillment  of  the  higher  law — "Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself,"  in  national  life,  and  world-wide 
issues,  which  would  cut  short  every  war  of  conquest  on 
earth. 

In  this  connection  we  call  attention  to  Mr.  McKinley's 
words : 

"Human  rights  and  constitutional  privileges  must  not 
be  forgotten  in  the  race  for  wealth  and  commercial 
supremacy.  The  government  by  the  people  must  be 
by  the  people,  and  not  by  a  few  of  the  people.    It  must 


370       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

rest  upon  the  free  consent  of  the  governed,  and  of  all 
the  governed.  Power,  it  must  be  remembered,  which 
is  secured  by  oppression,  or  usurpation,  or  by  any  form 
of  injustice,  is  soon  dethroned." — William  McKinley,  at 
New  England  Dinner  in  New  York  City,  in  1890. 

"I  speak  not  of  forcible  annexation,  for  that  cannot  be 
thought  of.  That,  by  our  code  of  morals,  would  be  crim- 
inal aggression." — From  Message  of  President  McKin- 
ley to  Congress,  April  11,  1898. 

Mr.  McKinley  was  right  when  he  spoke  these  words, 
as  was  Mr.  Roosevelt  when  he  said  we  should  practice 
what  we  preach. 

Had  the  so-called  "Christian"  nations  of  Europe  not 
disregarded  the  Golden  Rule  in  their  relations  with 
China,  there  would  have  been  no  Boxer  massacres  of 
"foreign  devils." 

Had  we  not  done  so  with  our  Filipino  allies  when 
they  were  fighting  with  us  against  the  Spaniards,  "our 
common  enemy,"  we  would  have  had  no  need  of  an 
army  of  "100,000  men"  to  keep  our  flag  flying  in  the 
Philippines  to-day,  while  troops  are  needed  in  China  to 
protect  our  citizens  and  commercial  interests  there,  but 
instead  of  that,  thousands  of  our  Filipino  foes  might  be 
fighting  for  us  in  the  Orient,  our  most  faithful  allies  and 
friends,  acknowledging  the  freeman's  debt  of  deathless 
gratitude  to  us. 

As  these  words  are  written  with  no  partisan  or  polit- 
ical purpose,  and  as  the  question  of  human  rights  should 
never  be  permitted  to  become  subservient  to  such  base, 
narrow  motives,  having  quoted  the  noblest  words  from 
the  present  standard-bearers  of  the  Republican  party, 
we  feel  in  fairness  bound  to  quote  the  following  from  Mr. 
Bryan,  to  bring  out  more  clearly  the  point  at  issue,  and 
show  more  forcefully  the  diflference  between  present 
practice  and  accepted  precepts: 


BRYAN'S  WORDS.  371 

"Anglo-Saxon  civilization  has  taught  the  individual  to 
protect  his  own  rights;  American  civilization  will  teach 
him  to  respect  the  rights  of  others. 

"Anglo-Saxon  civilization  has  taught  the  individual  to 
take  care  of  himself;  American  civilization,  proclaiming 
the  equality  of  all  before  the  law,  will  teach  him  that  his 
own  highest  good  requires  the  observance  of  the  com- 
mandment:  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.' 

"Anglo-Saxon  civilization  has,  by  force  of  arms, 
applied  the  art  of  government  to  other  races  for  the  bene- 
fit of  Anglo-Saxons;  American  civilization  will,  by  the 
influence  of  example,  excite  in  other  races  a  desire  for 
self-government  and  a  determination  to  secure  it. 

"Anglo-Saxon  civilization  has  carried  its  flag  to  every 
clime,  and  defended  it  with  forts  and  garrisons ;  American 
civilization  will  imprint  its  flag  upon  the  hearts  of  all 
who  love  freedom." 

"By  their  fruits  shall  ye  know  them." — ^Matthew,  7:20. 

As  Governor  Roosevelt's  candidacy  for  the  Vice-Pres- 
idency has  at  least  delayed  his  reported  plans,  we  would 
call  attention  to  an  Associated  Press  dispatch,  dated 
Manila,  January  2,  1900,  showing  a  much  better  model 
for  a  "colonial  system"  than  Mr,  Berger  proposes: 

"A  naval  officer  who  has*  arrived  from  Guam  brings  a 
proclamation  issued  by  Captain  Leary,  Naval  Governor 
of  that  island,  decreeing  the  absolute  prohibition  and 
total  abolition  of  slavery  or  peonage,  the  order  taking 
effect  February  22. 

"Captain  Leary  also  deported  all  the  Spanish  priests, 
for  reasons  which  were  sufficient  to  him." 

The  following  dispatch  shows  what  he  thought  of 
slavery  and  the  American  Constitution  in  our  "colonies," 
and  might  suggest  a  good  precedent  for  the  Sulus  and 
the  rest  of  the  Philippine  Archipelago: 

"Washington,  March  17  (1900). — The  following  proc- 
lamation has  been  issued  by  the  Governor  of  Guam  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  island : 


372       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

''  'In  issuing  this  decree  the  government  desires  and 
earnestly  invokes  Divine  blessing  and  guidance  in  its 
official  action  and  in  the  daily  pursuits  and  occupations  of 
the  citizens  of  Guam. 

"  *By  the  cession  of  the  Isle  of  Guam  to  the  United 
States  of  America  all  of  the  authority,  power  and  respon- 
sibilities of  sovereignty  were  transferred  to  this 
government,  and  in  transforming  and  organizing  the  new 
political  power  the  surest  and  speediest  route  to  success, 
prosperity  and  happiness  for  the  inhabitants  of  this  island 
is  by  benevolent  assimilation  to  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples that  constitute  the  basis  of  free  American  govern- 
ment. 

"  'Honest  labor,  with  just  compensation,  dignified  by 
faithful  consideration  of  the  mutual  interests  and  welfare 
of  all  concerned,  should  insure  prosperity  to  this  com- 
munity, whereas  the  existing  labor  degrading  system  of 
human  bondage  and  unjust,  indefinite  servitude  or  peon- 
age permitted  during  the  late  Spanish  control  on  this 
island  is,  in  fact,  a  system  of  slavery,  and  as  such  is  sub- 
versive of  good  government,  is  an  obstacle  to  progressive 
civilization,  a  menace  to  popular  liberty  and  a  violation  of 
the  sacred  privileges  guaranteed  by  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States. 

"  'Now,  therefore,  by  virtue  of  the  authority  vested  in 
me  by  his  excellency,  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
I,  Richard  P.  Leary,  Captain,  United  States  Navy,  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Isle  of  Guam,  do  hereby  announce  and  pub- 
licly proclaim  absolute  prohibition  and  total  abolition  of 
human  slavery  or  peonage  in  the  Isle  of  Guam  on  and 
after  the  226.  day  of  February,  A.  D.  1900,  and  all  per- 
sons are  hereby  commanded  to  comply  with  the  require- 
ments of  this  proclamation. 

"  'In  witness  whereof  I  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  have 
caused  the  seal  of  the  United  States  Naval  Station,  Isle 
of  Guam,  to  be  affixed. 

"  'Done  at  Agona,  Isle  of  Guam,  the  ist  day  of  Jan- 
uary, in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1900,  and  of  the  independ- 
ence of  the  United  States  of  America  the  one  hundred 
and  twenty-fourth.' 


CONCUBINAGE  PROHIBITED.  373 

''Governor  Leary  anticipates  no  trouble  as  the  result 
of  the  proclamation." 

The  people  having  become  so  poor  that  it  was  impos- 
sible for  most  of  them  ever  to  pay  the  exorbitant  mar- 
riage fees  demanded  by  the  friars,  "over  90  per  cent 
of  the  adults"  w^ere  living  in  concubinage,  and  to  correct 
this  evil  the  priests  were  commanded  to  perform  the  mar- 
riage ceremony  free,  for  all  desiring  it. 

The  children  of  these  married  couples  were  all  declared 
legitimate,  the  parents  not  marrying  being  fined  as  a 
punishment. 

Captain  Leary  reported  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
that  "the  merry  wedding  bells  were  ringing  constantly" 
at  that  time. 

As  their  religious  feasts  had  been  degraded  into 
"appalling  exhibitions  of  vice  and  degradation  in  the  pub- 
lic streets,  where,  inflamed  with  drink,  the  natives  lost 
all  sense  of  shame  and  propriety,"  he  ordered  that  all 
rehgious  festivals  should  be  celebrated  "within  the  walls 
of  the  churches  or  in  private  residences." 

He  prohibited  the  manufacture,  sale  or  giving  away  of 
liquor,  under  a  penalty  of  $100  fine  and  imprisonment. 

The  importation  of  liquor,  except  under  special  gov- 
ernment license,  was  prohibited,  but  the  following  is  of 
special  import: 

[By  the  Associated  Press.] 
"Washington,  D.  C,  March  21  (1900). — Lieutenant- 
Commander  Seaton  Schroeder,  at  present  Secretary  of 
the  Naval  Inspection  Board,  has  been  selected  to  suc- 
ceed Captain  Leary  as  Naval  Governor  of  the  Island  of 
Guam.  Commander  Schroeder  had  applied  for  and  been 
promised  the  governorship  of  the  Island  of  Tutuila,  but 
the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  Guam  is  believed  to  be 
more  desirable." 


374       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

The  following  editorial,  clipped  from  a  Manila  paper  of 
May  3,  1900,  by  an  American  soldier,  was  sent  home  as 
information  for  Chicago  friends,  and  is  interesting  from 
the  fact  that  the  sender  is  a  Hebrew,  with  neither  Prot- 
estant nor  CathoHc  bias,  but  a  genuine  love  of  liberty, 
which  led  him  to  enlist  in  the  war  against  Spanish  oppres- 
sion, for  freedom  in  Cuba,  Porto  Rico  and  the  Philip- 
pines, as  he  had  hoped. 

''Captain  Leary,  Governor  of  Guam.,  is  to  be  relieved, 
in  the  ordinary  course  of  events,  because  he  has  been 
there  long  enough,  and  because  it  is  not  usual  to  plant 
any  man  for  a  lifetime  in  any  post,  except  jail.  But  the 
friars  are  jubilant,  believing  that  he  is  being  removed  as 
a  sign  of  official  displeasure.  The  more  they  assail  such 
a  man  the  more  they  condemn  themselves.  Governor 
Leary  found  that  a  large  section  of  the  population  cohab- 
ited without  marriage,  solely  on  account  of  the  extor- 
tionate fees  charged  by  the  friars;  so  he  made  all  such 
couples  marry,  free  of  cost,  and  the  friars  can  never  for- 
give him.  Anybody  who  aims  such  a  severe  blow  at  the 
pecuniary  interests  of  the  friars  is  a  villain  of  the  deepest 
dye.  That  is  why  'Libertas'  (the  organ  of  the  religious 
orders  in  the  Philippines)  announces  his  forthcoming 
departure  with  exultation,  and  speaks  of  his  good  work 
with  scorn  and  bitterness.  It  also  speaks  of  the  'innocent 
friars'  whom  he  expelled  from  Guam.  Innocent!  'Lib- 
ertas'  calls  them  innocent!  Now,  truly,  we  have  here  a 
new  and  original  sort  of  innocence — a  clear  definition  of 
the  thing  'Libertas'  loves  and  defends.  The  friars  who 
were  expelled  from  Guam  had,  under  the  cloak  of  reli- 
gion, robbed  native  girls  of  their  virginity,  and  'Libertas' 
knows  it.  Innocent  friars!  Breeders  of  bastard  babies, 
in  violation  of  the  vows  of  celibacy  and  chastity!  Pious 
propagators  of  prostitution,  innocent  friars!  Snug,  self- 
sanctified  seducers  of  young  native  girls,  innocent  friars! 
Carnal,  bestial,  lecherous,  fornicating  friars!  How  many 
weeping  women  besieged  the  'Nanshan'  when  the  friars 
were  ordered  to  go  abroad,  and  what  terrible  tales  they 
told  of  their  reverend  ravishers,  these  innocent  friars!" 


FRIARS   AND    CONVICTS    EXPELLED.        375 

To  give  a  correct  account  of  the  deportation  of  these 
friars,  we  quote  from  the  following  special  dispatch  to  the 
Chicago  Record: 

"Washington,  D.  C,  February  ii  (1900). — ^When  Cap- 
tain Leary  arrived  he  issued  a  proclamation,  taking  pos- 
session of  the  Island  of  Guam,  and  assumed  authority  in 
the  name  of  the  United  States.  Under  Spanish  rule  there 
had  been  an  administrator  sent  from  the  Philippine 
Islands,  a  tax  collector  and  a  commander  of  the  mili- 
tary, but  the  friars  of  the  Recolletto  Order  of  St.  Augus- 
tine had  actual  control  of  secular  as  well  as  religious 
affairs,  and  imposed  and  collected  taxes  on  their  own 
account.  After  Captain  Leary  had  assumed  authority 
he  expelled  three  Spanish  monks  because  he  'considered 
their  influence  and  example  injurious  to  the  interests  of 
the  community.'  He  describes  them  as  'drunken,  dis- 
solute and  shameless,  a  disgrace  to  the  church  and 
unworthy  of  the  confidence  of  the  people.'  He  also 
expelled  a  number  of  convicts  who  had  been  sent  to 
Guam  from  Manila  by  the  Spanish  authorities,  and  were 
also  a  menace  to  the  peace  and  good  order  of  the  com- 
munity. Both  the  monks  and  the  convicts  were  expelled 
at  the  request  of  the  intelHgent  citizens  of  Guam,  and 
Captain  Leary  said  that  the  effect  was  noticeable  imme- 
diately. 

"There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  criticism  of  this  arbi- 
trary act,  and  protests  have  been  filed  with  the  Navy 
Department,  but  the  facts  seem  to  have  been  misunder- 
stood. Four  priests  of  the  Augustine  order  were  allowed 
to  remain,  and  Captain  Leary  speaks  in  high  terms  of 
them,  particularly  Padre  Jose  Palomo,  who,  he  says,  is 
'a  man  of  extraordinary  qualifications,  kind,  gentle,  con- 
siderate, a  true  Christian,  and  held  in  great  respect  by 
every  one  on  the  island.'  He  says  that  Padre  Palomo 
has  strengthened  his  influence  and  has  co-operated  with 
the  Americans  in  everything  they  have  done  for  the 
improvement  of  the  condition  of  the  people. 

"Friar  Francisco  Resano,  the  most  offensive  of  the 
monks  who  were  expelled,  attempted  to  return,  but  upon 


Z']^)       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

the  recommendation  of  Father  Palomo  he  was  not  per- 
mitted to  do  so,  because  his  immoral  life  and  dissolute 
habits  were  a  pernicious  example  to  the  people." 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  the  good  people  of  the  Island  of 
Guam  were  allowed  ''the  free  exercise  of  religion"  in 
rejecting  objectionable  friars.  This  "free  exercise  of 
religion"  should  be  allowed  the  Filipinos. 


CHAPTER   LIV. 

THE  DECREES  OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  TRENT,  THE 

TREATY   OF  PEACE  AND   OUR  CONSTITUTION, 

ON  THE  RETENTION  OF  THE  SPANISH 

FRIARS. 

We  call  attention  of  all  loyal  Roman  Catholics  to  the 
following  evidence  of  Mr.  John  Foreman,  himself  "a  loyal 
Catholic,"  which  was  presented,  as  already  quoted,  to 
our  Paris  Peace  Commissioners,  and  is  to  be  found  upon 
page  446  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2,  of  the 
Fifty-fifth  Congress: 

'The  secular  clergy — these  monks  are  the  regular 
ordained  clergy — claimed,  under  the  conditions  of  the 
Council  of  Trent,  that  these  monks^  as  missionaries, 
were  not  entitled  to  hold  the  incumbencies;  that,  by  a 
Papal  bull  which  settled  this  matter  when  it  was  raised, 
these  monks  were  allowed  to  be  only  missionaries,  and 
could  only  open  and  establish  missions,  but  that  when 
these  missions  became  parishes,  and  when  the  people 
around  them  adopted  the  Catholic  faith,  they  should  then 
retire  from  these  parishes  and  the  incumbency  should  be 
taken  by  the  secular  clergy." 

From  this  evidence  it  is  seen  that  these  friars  have  been 
officiating  in  the  Philippines  in  violation  of  the  laws  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  church,  contrary  to  the  canons  of  old, 
and  in  direct  disregard  of  the  decree  of  the  Council  of 
Trent  and  the  Papal  bull  promulgating  this  decision. 


COUNCIL  OF  TRENT  DECREE.  377 

This  evidence  of  Mr.  Foreman's  is  confirmed  by  Pro- 
fessor Dean  C.  Worcester,  Philippine  Commissioner, 
upon  page  342  of  his  book  upon  the  PhiHppine  Islands, 
as  follows : 

*'The  decisions  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  which  pro- 
hibited friars  holding  beneficies,  have  never  been  carried 
out  in  the  Philippines." 

Article  IX  of  the  treaty  of  peace  between  the  United 
States  of  America  and  Spain  reads  (see  lines  156  to  163 
of  pages  9  and  10  of  Senate  Document  No.  62): 

''Spanish  subjects,  natives  of  the  peninsula,  residing  in 
the  territory  over  which  Spain  by  the  present  treaty 
relinquishes  or  cedes  her  sovereignty,  may  remain  in  such 
territory  or  may  remove  therefrom,  retaining  in  either 
event  all  their  rights  of  property,  including  the  right  to 
sell  or  dispose  of  such  property  or  of  its  proceeds;  and 
they  shall  have  the  right  to  carry  on  their  industry,  com- 
merce and  professions,  being  subject  in  respect  thereof 
to  such  laws  as  are  applicable  to  other  foreigners." 

This  is  a  most  iniquitous  matter,  if  it  is  intended  to  be 
an  acknowledgment  of  the  fraudulent  titles  of  these  Span- 
ish friars  to  property  which  belongs  by  legal  or  moral 
right  to  the  people  of  the  PhiHppines;  but  it  is  far  worse 
if  it  is  the  fact  that  it  is  intended  to  provide  for  the  pro- 
tection of  these  vile  impostors  in  their  professions  as 
priests  and  friars. 

Article  X  of  this  treaty,  reading  thus  (see  lines  175, 
176  and  177  of  page  10  of  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part 
i) :  "The  inhabitants  of  the  territories  over  which  Spain 
relinquishes  or  cedes  her  sovereignty  shall  be  secured  in 
the  free  exercise  of  their  religion,"  should  certainly  pro- 
tect the  people  from  the  imposition  of  such  objectionable 
priests. 

The  Constitution  of  the  United  States  declares :    "Con- 


^^:,   '^: 


37^       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

gress  shall  make  no  law  respecting  an  establishment  of 
religion,  or  prohibiting  the  free  exercise  thereof." 

Therefore  both  the  Constitution  and  this  treaty  of 
peace  guarantee  to  the  Filipinos  **the  free  exercise  of 
religion." 

If  it  is  claimed  that  this  Constitution  does  not  cover 
Cuba,  Porto  Rico  and  the  Philippines,  it  cannot  be  denied 
that  it  does  cover  our  President,  Congress  and  Judiciary. 

To  force  back  upon  the  Filipinos  these  friars,  to  whom 
they  so  strenuously  object,  whether  justly  or  not,  would 
be  undeniably  a  gross  violation  of  their  religious  liberty. 
Therefore  if  this  treaty  of  peace  provided  for  the  rein- 
statement of  these  hated  friars  in  these  Filipino  parishes, 
this  treaty  is  in  contravention  of  the  Constitution,  in  this 
particular,  and  in  so  far  is  null  and  void;  for  if  Congress, 
our  only  national  law-making  power,  cannot  enact  any 
law  "prohibiting  the  free  exercise  of  religion'"  surely 
the  President  and  Senate,*being  empowered  to  make  no 
laws  whatever,  cannot  enact  such  a  law,  by  treaty  or 
otherwise. 

While  this  treaty  of  peace  provides  for  the  freedom  of 
the  Spanish  friars,  it  also  guarantees  ''the  free  exercise 
of  their  religion"  to  the  Filipinos. 

Consequently  our  government  is  bound,  both  by  our 
Constitution  and  this  treaty  compact,  as  well  as  by  the 
immutable  moral  law,  to  protect  the  Filipino  parishioners 
from  the  imposition  upon  them  of  these  Spanish  friars 
to  whom  they  object  so  strenuously,  thus  seeing  that 
they  are  ''secured  in  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion," 
in  accordance  with  the  First  Amendment  to  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States  of  America  and  the  tenth 
article  of  this  treaty  of  peace  between  the  United  States 
and  Spain. 

Any  administration  refusing,  faltering  or  failing  to  do 


LINCOLN    ON    OFFICIAL   OATH.  379 

its  duty  in  this  regard,  at  any  time,  in  any  way,  or  any- 
where, the  people  should  rebuke,  repudiate  and  replace 
as  promptly  as  possible. 

In  this  connection  we  call  attention  of  the  President, 
Congress  and  officials  of  the  United  States  to  the  fol- 
lowing words  of  our  martyr  President,  Abraham  Lin- 
coln: 

'It  was  in  the  oath  I  took,  that  I  would,  to  the  best  of 
my  ability,  preserve,  protect  and  defend  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States.  *  *  *  ^q^  yv^^s  it  my 
view  that  I  might  take  an  oath  to  get  power,  and  break 
the  oath  in  using  that  power.  *  *  *  j  ^{(^  under- 
stand *  *  *  that  my  oath  imposed  upon  me  the 
duty  of  preserving,  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  by  every 
indispensable  means,  that  government,  that  nation,  of 
which  the  Constitution  was  the  organic  law." 

The  tenth  article  of  the  Sulu  treaty,  permitting  actual 
slavery  among  the  Sulus,  is  a  violation  of  the  Thirteenth 
Amendment  of  the  Constitution,  which  reads: 

''Neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servitude,  except  as 
a  punishment  for  crime,  whereof  the  party  shall  have 
been  duly  convicted,  shall  exist  within  the  United  States 
or  any  place  subject  to  their  jurisdiction." 

After  providing,  in  article  VI,  for  the  release  of  all 
prisoners  held  by  Spain  in  connection  with  the  insur- 
rections in  Cuba  and  the  Philippines  and  the  war  with 
the  United  States,  the  treaty  of  peace  continues  as  fol- 
lows: 

"Reciprocally,  the  United  States  will  release  all  per- 
sons made  prisoners  of  war  by  the  American  forces,  and 
will  undertake  to  obtain  the  release  of  all  Spanish  pris- 
oners in  the  hands  of  the  insurgents  in  Cuba  and  the 
Philippines." 

(Lines  98,  99,  100  and  loi,  on  page  8  of  Senate  Docu- 
ment No.  62),  thus  stipulating  for  the  freeing  of  the 


380       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

friars.  It  goes  still  further  in  article  VIII.  After  refer- 
ring to  the  relinquishment  of  property  belonging  to  the 
Crown  of  Spain,  it  adds : 

**And  it  is  hereby  declared  that  the  relinquishment,  or  ^ 
cession,  as  the  case  may  be,  to  which  the  preceding  para- 
graph refers,  cannot  in  any  respect  impair  the  property 
or  rights  which  by  law  belong  to  the  peaceful  possession  of 
property  of  all  kinds,  of  provinces,  municipalities,  public 
or  private  establishments,  ecclesiastical  or  civic  bodies, 
or  any  other  associations  having  legal  capacity  to  acquire 
and  possess  property  in  the  aforesaid  territories 
renounced  or  ceded"  (lines  126,  127,  128,  129,  130,  131, 
132  and  133,  on  page  9  of  same  document),  thus  agree- 
ing to  the  retention  by  the  friars,  as  ''ecclesiastical  or 
civic  bodies,"  of  their  vast  stolen  estates,  amounting  in 
value  to  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars. 

The  return  of  these  lands  to  the  people  of  the  islands 
being  one  of  the  most  important  reforms  advocated  by 
the  Filipinos  for  many  years,  without  the  fulfilment  of 
which  they  had  refused  to  lay  down  their  arms,  was  also 
fatal  to  peace. 

But  Article  IX,  permitting  the  friars  to  sell  or 
hold  this  property,  and  to  leave  the  islands  or  stay  and 
''carry  on  their  professions,"  in  the    following   words: 

"Spanish  subjects,  natives  of  the  peninsula,  residing  in 
the  territory  over  which  Spain  by  the  present  treaty 
relinquishes  or  cedes  her  sovereignty,  may  remain  in 
such  territory  or  may  remove  therefrom,  retaining  in 
either  event  all  their  rights  of  property,  including  the 
right  to  sell  or  dispose  of  such  property  or  of  its  proceeds, 
and  they  shall  also  have  the  right  to  carry  on  their  indus- 
try, commerce  and  professions,  being  subject  in  respect 
thereof  to  such  laws  as  are  applicable  to  otherforeigners," 
(lines  156,  157,  158  and  159,  on  page  9,  and  lines  160, 
161,  162  and  163,  on  page  10,  of  same  document),  being 
fatal  to  the  most  vital  issue  at  stake,  was  virtually  a  dec- 


McKINLEY  VERSUS  GRANT.  381 

laration  of  war  to  those  who  valued  honesty,  virtue  and 
honor. 

Therefore  as  soon  as  this  treaty  became  known  to 
them,  and  was  ratified  by  Congress,  they  were  compelled 
to  either  relinquish,  as  they  thought,  all  their  hopes  of 
liberty,  justice  and  right  or  resist  to  the  death  the  fulfil- 
ment of  its  terms,  which  they  were  driven  by  terrible 
desperation  to  do. 

Thus  all  that  the  Filipino  Katipunans,  or  Masons,  had 
suffered  and  sacrificed  and  died  for  was  undone  at  once 
by  us. 

The  robberies,  outrages  and  oppressions  of  the  friars 
were  indorsed  and  their  reinstatement  ordained. 

The  policy  of  General  Grant  with  the  Republic  of  Mex- 
ico in  the  '60s  has  been  reversed  by  President  McKinley 
in  the  Philippines  in  the  '90s. 

To  turn  to  Catholic  testimony  again,  v/e  quote  further 
from  "A  Sketch  of  Catholicity  in  the  Philippines,"  in 
the  Catholic  World  of  August,  1898,  as  follows: 

"To  no  population  is  a  church  thoroughly  agreeable 
and  pleasant  unless  thoroughly  in  accord  with  the 
national  spirit.  Hence  the  unlucky  complications  inci- 
dent in  'free  Cuba,'  where  the  men  who  love  their  coun- 
try and  their  honor  must  storm  at  sight  of  their  spiritual 
guides  siding  against  them  in  the  struggle  for  independ- 
ence, abandoning  them  at  its  successful  termination,  and 
boldly  bearing  back  to  Spain  the  movable  church  prop- 
erty ;  whatever  that  may  mean,  it  surely  means  something 
for  which  native  money  paid,  and  which  native  congre- 
gations should  retain." 

It  being  remembered  that  many  of  these  Spanish 
monks  are  bound  by  vows  of  absolute  poverty,  but  have 
amassed  fortunes  of  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars, 
every  penny  of  which  has  been  obtained  from  the  Fili- 


382       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

pino  people,  the  hypocrisy  of  their  present  position 
becomes  too  apparent  to  be  decently  defended. 

If  "the  movable  church  property,"  to  use  the  words 
of  The  Catholic  World,  "means  something  for  which 
native  money  has  paid,  and  which  native  congregations 
should  retain,"  what  is  to  be  said  about  the  immovable 
property  which  their  money  and  labor  have  built  and 
paid  for,  through  centuries  of  suffering? 

Have  they  no  right  in  these  churches,  wherein  their 
dear  ones,  with  them,  have  been  baptized  and  married, 
and  from  which  their  dead  have  been  buried  for  gen- 
erations? 

Have  they  no  right  to  their  own  homesteads,  whereon 
they  have  been  born  and  reared,  and  their  ancestors  lived 
and  toiled  and  died  for  generations  before  them? 

How  could  they  help  but  "storm  at  sight  of  their 
spiritual  guides  siding  against  them  in  their  struggle  for 
independence,"  to  use  the  words  of  The  Catholic  World 
still,  and  why  should  they  not  refuse  to  receive  them 
back  when  they  have  robbed  them  of  home  and  honor 
and  all  that  makes  life  worth  living  or  dear? 

Why  should  they  not  abhor  them,  and  hate  and  resist 
a  foreign  race  of  another  religion,  when  it  seeks  to  rein- 
state their  mortal  foes? 

Does  not  every  honest  American,  Catholic  or  Protes- 
tant, Jew  or  Gentile,  believer  or  unbeliever,  feel  as  Lord 
Chatham  felt  when  he  said  in  the  British  Parliament, 
during  the  American  Revolution:  "If  I  were  an  Amer- 
ican, as  I  am  an  Englishman,  and  a  foreign  force  were 
landed  on  my  shores,  I  would  never  lay  down  my  arms 
— never,  never,  never!"  and  why  should  not  the  native 
Filipinos,  loving  their  land  and  liberty  and  longing  for 
freedom,  feel,  say  and  do  so,  too? 

And  why  should  we,  whose  forefathers  fought  Great 


WHY  DO  WRONG?  383 

Britain  for  the  very  freedom  for  which  the  Filipinos  are 
now  fighting  us,  whose  fathers  fought  for  the  freedom 
of  the  slaves  in  America,  and  whose  sons  and  brothers 
fought  for  the  freedom  of  Cuba — why  should  we  be  fight- 
ing in  the  Philippines  against  that  same  freedom  and 
upholding  human  slavery  in  the  Sulu  Sultanate,  under 
the  same  flag  of  the  free,  to-day?  Read  the  following 
and  answer,  after  thought. 


CHAPTER  LV. 
PARTIOTS  WORTHY  OF  ALL  PRAISE. 

[By  the  Associated  Press.] 

"New  York,  May  14  (1900). — The  Evening  Post  prints 
the  text  of  letters  between  Major  J.  H.  Parker,  of  the 
Thirty-ninth  Infantry,  U.  S.  A.,  and  General  Miguel 
Malbar,  of  the  Filipino  revolutionary  army.  The  corre- 
spondence was  cabled  to  Montreal.  Major  Parker  wrote 
to  General  Malbar: 

"  'General,  you  have  gallantly  fought,  and  have  had 
great  achievements  which  will  leave  a  memory  in  the 
history  of  our  country  and  in  the  minds  of  our  children. 
But,  sir,  you  have  already  fulfilled  the  duty  of  a  soldier, 
and  it  is  not  possible  to  prevent  the  American  soldiers 
from  carrying  out  the  order  of  their  superiors,  and  still 
less  to  send  them  away.  I  will  soon  give  orders  to  sur- 
round you  and  take  you  prisoner.  I  desire  nothing  but 
peace  and  prosperity  in  this  place  where  I  have  to  reside. 
I  think  it  is  in  your  power  to  bring  that  peace  and  pros- 
perity. I  would  rather  you  would  come  to  your  native 
town  as  an  honorable  and  honest  soldier,  who  has  ful- 
filled his  duty,  this  being  better  than  to  be  a  prisoner  like 
General  Rizal.  I  will  feel  myself  flattered  by  the  honor 
of  receiving  your  honorable  capitulation,  and  happy  to 
see  you  in  your  own  house  here  at  Tanawan  or  at  Santo 
Tomas.  I  await  respectfully  your  answer.  Yours 
respectfully,  John  Parker, 

"  'Major  Thirty-ninth  Infantry,  Tanawan.' 


384       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

'To  this  dispatch  General  Malbar  sent  the  following 
reply  May  11:  '^  ' 

"  'I  and  all  the  forces  under  my  command  are  witnesses 
before  the  whole  world  of  the  valor  of  the  American 
blood,  of  the  honor  and  discipline  of  their  army,  of  the 
superiority  of  their  artillery,  and  of  the  humanity  and 
chivalry  of  her  nation.  But  the  same  facts  cause  us  to 
hope  greatly  that  the  American  people,  deceived  by  cer- 
tain Filipinos,  who  misinformed  them  that  the  people  like 
annexation,  be  acquainted  with  the  fact  that  for  every 
soldier  they  lose  on  the  battlefield  the  Filipinos  lose  100, 
their  very  power  and  greatness  will  compel  them  to  give 
us  the  independence  which  has  been  announced  since  the 
first  coming  of  the  powerful  fleet  of  the  United  States  for 
the  honor  and  glory  of  the  American  people.  I  must 
also  signify  to  you  that  till  the  moment  when  our  scarce 
bullets  shall  meet  for  the  last  time  the  overwhelming 
numbers  of  those  of  your  powerful  army,  our  shots 
demand  not  the  death  of  any  American,  but  the  freedom 
of  a  people  who  for  300  years  have  dragged  the  chain  of 
slavery. 

''  Tor  your  kind  attention,  I  am,  yours  truly, 

"  'Miguel  Malbar.'  " 

[Correspondence  of  the  Associated  Press.] 
"Manila,  May  15  (1900). — Major  H.  C.  Hale,  with 
three  companies  of  the  P'orty-fourth  Infantry,  has  become 
potentate  of  the  island  of  Bohol  by  peaceful  conquest. 
Bohol  is  a  third  as  large  as  the  neighboring  island  of 
Panay,  but  has  no  armed  insurgents.  It  had,  however, 
a  very  complete  and  efficient  little  republic  of  its  own, 
which  formed  a  part  of  the  revolutionary  government. 
When  the  troops  landed  at  the  principal  town  a  body  of 
local  officials  appeared  and  handed  to  their  new  ruler  a 
document  which  was  at  first  supposed  to  be  an  address 
of  welcome. 

'The  paper  set  forth  that  the  Senate  and  Congress  of 
Bohol  had  held  a  joint  session,  hearing  that  the  Amer- 
icans were  coming;  that  the  inhabitants  could  not  offer 
allegiance  to  the  United  States,  because  that  was  for- 
bidden   by    'Honorable  Emilio  Aguinaldo,  President  of 


A  PATRIOTIC   CAPITULATION.  3^5 

the  Filipino  Republic,  and  the  lawful  head  of  the  state' ; 
that  Major  Hale  should  secure  first  Aguinaldo's  permis- 
sion, then  the  Boholenos  would  agree  to  the  occupation. 
But,  the  address  continued,  the  islanders  were  unarmed, 
and,  in  view  of  their  poverty,  resulting  from  long  block- 
ade, could  not  be  expected  to  attempt  resistance. 

'Therefore,  the  President  and  Congress  of  the  Repub- 
lic of  Bohol  resolved,  first,  to  avoid  anything  which  might 
be  viewed  as  provocation;  second,  to  allow  the  com- 
mander of  the  United  States  military  expedition  to  carry 
out  his  orders  without  interference;  third,  to  carry  on  the 
native  civil  government  with  the  laws  which  were 
received  from  the  Filipino  Republic,  and  to  do  everything 
necessary  in  the  interests  of  law  and  order,  peace  and 
harmony. 

''Major  Hale  could  do  nothing  less  than  meet  so  con- 
ciliatory a  spirit  half  way.  He  installed  the  insurgent 
officials  as  servants  of  the  United  States,  with  all  their 
paraphernalia  of  office,  but,  to  their  great  grief,  felt  com- 
pelled to  insist  upon  the  removal  from  the  public  build- 
ing of  its  principal  ornament — a  big  painting  of  Aguin- 
aldo.  He  has  begun  many  public  improvements, 
started  schools  and  new  roads,  but  the  Boholenos  remain 
true  to  their  first  love. 

"They  keep  the  Filipino  flag  flying  in  all  the  villages, 
and  only  lower  it  when  a  company  of  American  soldiers 
comes  along.  Then  they  hasten  to  swing  out  the  stars 
and  stripes  as  an  evidence  of  good  faith." 

Only  a  heart  too  hard  to  have  human  instincts  could 
read  the  sequel  to  this  story  without  grief,  as  found  in 
the  following  dispatch: 

[By  the  Associated  Press.] 

"Washington,  D.  C,  September  3  (1900). — The  War 
Department  to-day  received  the  following  dispatch  from 
General  Mac  Arthur: 

"  'Manila,  September  3. — Adjutant-General,  Washing- 
ton: General  Hughes  reports  outbreak  in  Bohol.  First 
Lieutenant  Lovack,  Forty-fourth  Volunteer  Infantry, 
reports  engagement  near  Carmen,  Bohol.     Our  loss  in 


3^6       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

killed,  one;  wounded,  six.    Enemy's  loss  in  killed,  120. 
Have  not  received  further  details.  MacArthur.' 

*'Bohol  is  an  island  in  the  southern  part  of  the  archi- 
pelago, 365  miles  from  Manila.  It  hes  north  of  the  large 
island  of  Mindanao  and  is  not  far  from  Cebu." 

The  saddest  of  it  all  is  that  this  is  only  one  of  innumer- 
able instances  of  the  like  which  blacken  the  fair  fame  of 
America  forever,  and  here  is  another  story  which  tells 
her  shame,  but  shows  as  heroic  a  soul  as  ever  lived: 

''Apolinario  Mabini,  the  Premier  of  Aguinaldo's  Cabi- 
net, who  is  not  only  the  most  able  among  the  leaders  of 
the  insurrection,  but  almost  the  only  one  whose  honesty 
has  never  been  questioned,  has  probably  finished  his 
earthly  career.  His  friends  believe  that  he  is  dying. 
Mabini  remains  in  an  American  prison  in  Manila  because 
he  has  nowhere  else  to  go.  Before  the  revolution  he  was 
a  wealthy  man,  as  riches  are  rated  in  the  Philippines, 
but  all  his  money  was  invested  in  the  cause  of  'inde- 
pendencia.'  Recently  General  Otis  ofifered  to  release  him 
from  prison  in  the  walled  city,  where  he  has  been  housed 
comfortably  since  his  arrival  in  Manila,  on  condition  that 
he  would  not  take  advantage  of  his  liberty  to  incite 
trouble. 

"  'But  I  have  not  changed  my  convictions,'  said  Ma- 
bini. 

'The  general  explained  that  was  not  required.  Then 
Mabini  said  that  he  was  entirely  destitute  and  preferred 
to  remam  in  prison.  Afterward,  when  his  health  was 
plainly  failing.  General  Otis  offered  him  a  carriage  for 
a  daily  drive.  Mabini  refused  it,  replying  that  'I  can  not 
accept  favors  from  the  Americans.' 

"Mabini  is  a  paralytic,  although  a  young  man.  The 
strain  of  his  flight  with  Aguinaldo  from  Tarlac  was  a 
severe  one,  and  now  he  can  not  even  rise  from  his  chair 
without  help." 


FRAUDULENT  DEALS.  387 

CHAPTER  LVI. 

THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE  AND  PROPERTY  RIGHTS. 

For  three  centuries  the  friars  had  forced  their  faith 
upon  the  FiHpinos,  and  in  return  had  taken  nearly  all 
their  tangible  assets  in  sight,  that  were  really  worth 
having,  always  in  the  nominal  interest  and  name  of  the 
church,  claiming  most  of  their  holdings  through  either 
government  or  missionary  grants  for  missions.  To  show 
how  convenient  such  claims  are  to  have  on  hand,  or  how 
easily  they  can  be  manufactured  for  occasion,  we  quote 
from  a  leading  man  of  Washington,  D.  C,  who  declared 
lately : 

'T  have  come  into  possession  of  certain  facts  that 
show  clearly  how  McKinley  is  dickering  with  Leo  XIIL 
Recently  they  have  been  translating  old  treaties  made 
by  Pius  IX.  and  Isabella  II.,  to  show  that  most  all  the 
new  possessions  were  ceded  to  the  church,  and  our  $20, 
000,000  has  practically  been  given  to  Spain  as  a  present 
and  we  have  no  claim  to  much  we  paid  for." 

But  to  turn  again  to  other  testimony,  a  special  dis- 
patch to  the  Chicago  Record,  dated  "Washington,  D.  C, 
October  8,  1898,"  said: 

"The  administration  intends  to  announce  soon  that 
church  property  in  the  Philippines  to  the  estimated  value 
of  $20,000,000,  has  been  turned  over  to  Archbishop  Chap- 
pelle  as  trustee  for  the  various  bishoprics  which  are  to  be 
formed  under  his  administration.  The  ostensible  benefit 
and  apparent  enormous  advantage  of  such  a  disposition 
of  the  property  to  the  Catholic  church  lie  in  the  fact  that 
all  of  it,  before  the  American  occupation  of  the  islands, 
was  vested  in  the  Crown  of  Spain,  and  passed  with  the 
archipelago  into  the  possession  of  the  United  States." 

Thus,  as  can  be  clearly  seen,  all  so-called  church  prop- 
erty, being  property  of  the  Crown  of  Spain,  passed  with 
Spanish  sovereignty  into  the  possession  of  the  United 


388       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

States,  and  became  the  public  property  of  the  American 
government,  and  as  such  should  be  held  for  the  benefit  of 
the  people  who  have  paid  for  it,  and  not  their  Spanish 
oppressors. 

The  following,  from  "The  New  Orient,"  under  date 
of  Manila,  January  2y,  1900,  is  interesting  in  this  connec- 
tion: 

*Tf  a  large  and  knotty  problem  arises  over  religious 
differences,  and  the  attention  of  the  State  Department 
is  called  to  the  deplorable  condition  of  affairs,  America 
will  have  to  at  least  temporarily  discard  her  time-honored 
custom  of  worshipping  according  to  the  dictates  of  con- 
science and  permitting  other  people  to  do  the  same, 
except  when  polygamy  or  some  other  minor  difference  in 
creed  or  doctrine  is  rubbed  the  wrong  way,  and  interfere 
here  for  the  welfare  of  the  colonies.  The  churches  them- 
selves, the  doctrines  and  beliefs  of  the  people  themselves, 
need  not  be  touched,  not  even  scrutinized,  if  need  be. 
That  is  distinctively  none  of  America's  affair.  But  the 
string  which  is  attached  to  the  holy  edifices  can  be  found, 
and  Uncle  Sam,  by  putting  one  hand  on  the  string  for 
guidance  and  the  other  in  his  pocket,  will  feel  a  magnetic 
influence  pass  along  the  string.  By  following  the  direc- 
tion indicated  by  the  magnetism,  he  will  eventually  come 
to  the  person  or  persons  holding  the  string.  By  keep- 
ing his  hand  in  his  pocket  while  the  conversation  and 
parleying  are  being  carried  on,  Uncle  Sam  will  have 
enough  money  left  to  buy  all  the  titles  to  the  church 
properties.  Just  make  an  investment  in  the  material, 
and  provide  some  means  for  the  people  to  re-obtain  their 
churches  by  easy  payments  or  provide  for  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  property  in  any  other  manner  agreeable,  and 
the  population  will  rejoice  and  the  people  holding  the 
titles  will  be  appeased.  In  a  word,  let  all  church  property 
become  government  property  by  purchase  and  the  Phil- 
ippines will  not  have  a  church  problem." 

We  feel  forced,  in  a  spirit  of  fairness,  to  ask  why  the 
United  States  should  have  paid  that  $20,000,000  to  Spain 


BLUNDER  OR  BETRAYAL.  3^9 

for  all  her  possessions  in  the  Philippines,  if  she  has  to 
buy  them  over  again  from  the  friars  now? 

Also,  why  the  people,  whose  money  has  already  paid 
every  penny  that  ever  went  into  that  property,  should 
have  to  pay  for  it  again,  to  the  "holy"  friars,  who  are 
bound  by  "vows  of  poverty,"  but  live  like  "lords  of  cre- 
ation"? 

Possibly  the  quick  witted  colored  sergeant  of  the 
United  States  regulars  in  the  Philippines  answered  these 
questions  when  asked:  "Well,  nig,  what  are  you  going 
to  do  here?"  when  he  replied:  "We're  going  to  take  up 
the  white  man's  burden,  I  suppose!" 

A  dispatch  in  the  Baltimore  Sun  of  December  26,  1899, 
coming  from  the  head  center  of  the  Roman  church  in 
America,  is  herewith  given,  as  well  worthy  of  note  for 
all  interested: 

"One  of  the  strongest  elements  of  disquiet  is  the  rela- 
tions which  the  friars  sustain  to  the  entire  social  and 
economic  system.  It  has  been  talked  of  in  administra- 
tion circles  for  some  time  that  the  property  clause  in  Arti- 
cle VIII  of  the  peace  treaty  is  much  more  comprehensive 
and  sweeping  in  its  terms  than  it  should  have  been. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  confidentially  admitted  that  our 
commissioners  were  outwitted  in  the  latitude  of  this  pro- 
vision, not  having  any  idea  of  the  broad  scope  of  what 
they  put  their  signatures  to.  It  has  transpired  just  now 
that  in  his  interviews  with  Archbishop  Chappelle,  before 
the  departure  of  the  latter  for  Manila,  the  President 
made  this  the  subject  of  earnest  discussion,  and  is  hope- 
ful the  Archbishop  may  be  of  assistance  in  straightening 
it  out.  It  is  not  so  much  by  any  means  church  property, 
properly  distinguished,  which  is  involved,  but  property 
held  by  churchmen. 

"It  is  said  on  competent  authority  that  more  than 
three-fourths  of  the  best  land  in  Luzon  is  held  by  the 
friars.  In  all  the  cities  and  towns  much  of  the  valuable 
business  and  residence  property  is  also  in  their  hands. 


390       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Tliese  possessions  constitute  the  aggregate  of  three  cen- 
turies of  spoHation  on  one  pretext  or  another  by  the 
Spanish  Crown  and  the  Spanish  Governor-General.  Al- 
most all  if  not  every  one  of  the  uprisings  against  Spanish 
authority  in  these  many  years  have  been  inspired  by 
resentment  against  this  injustice.  When  the  United 
States  succeeded  Spain  in  the  sovereignty  of  the  islands, 
the  natives  thought  they  would  recover  what  belonged 
to  them.  They  were  annoyed  and  indignant  on  discover- 
ing that  the  United  States,  without  a  word,  had  agreed 
to  perpetuate  what  they  could  not  help  regarding  as  a 
most  grievous  wrong. 

''One  of  the  army  officers,  who  was  stationed  for  a 
long  time  at  Iloilo,  says  the  better  class  of  the  natives 
there  are  as  well  educated  as  the  better  class  in  the 
United  States.  Most  of  them  speak  English  as  well  as 
Spanish,  are  good  business  or  professional  men,  as  the 
case  may  be,  and  quite  competent  to  discuss  their  public 
affairs  intelligently  and  forcibly  with  anyone.  He  talked 
freely  with  them.  The  majority  thought  they  should  be 
granted  independence,  but  all  of  them  expressed  no  objec- 
tion, but  rather  a  willingness,  for  a  protectorate.  Not 
one,  he  said,  however,  but  constantly  recurred  to  the  vast 
possessions  of  the  friars,  and  insisted  no  contentment,  no 
picace,  could  come  if  the  people  were  not  to  get  back 
what  belonged  to  them.  The  complaint  is  not  lessened 
by  the  fact  that  all  these  immense  holdings  of  the  friars 
are  exempt  from  taxation.  What  this  officer  learned  as 
to  native  sentiment  is  not  unknown  in  official  circles  in 
Washington,  and  the  absolute  necessity  of  giving  some 
consideration  to  the  mitigation  of  the  evil  is  thoroughly 
appreciated. 

*'A  very  high  army  officer,  and  one  close  to  the  Presi- 
dent, remarked  it  was  most  unfortunate  such  a  clause 
crept  into  the  peace  treaty,  but  there  it  was.  It  had  to 
be  dealt  with,  and  it  was  one  of,  if  not  the  most,  trouble- 
some question  connected  with  the  affairs  of  the  islands. 
As  said  before,  good  results  are  expected  from  the  mis- 
sion of  Archbishop  Chappelle.  It  is  not  improbable  the 
offices   of    the   Vatican    may,   in  certain  contingencies. 


CHAPPELLE  VERSUS  FUNSTON.      391 

prove  of  use  in  effecting  an  understanding  acceptable  to 
both  sides." 

In  this  connection  it  is  of  particular  interest  and  impor- 
tance to  recall  the  following  words  of  Archbishop  Chap- 
pelle,  as  sent  out  by  the  Associated  Press  dispatches, 
showing  how  he  feels  in  regard  to  the  freedom  of  the 
friars  in  the  Philippines,  and  the  retention  by  them  of 
their  stolen  estates: 

[By  the  Associated  Press.] 

'Washington,  D.  C,  October  23. — Archbishop  Chap- 
pelle  of  New  Orleans,  Apostolic  Delegate  to  Cuba, 
Porto  Rico  and  the  Philippines,  to-day  gave  out  the 
following  statement: 

"  'In  answer  to  General  Funston's  statement  made  in 
an  address  to  the  students  of  Stanford  University,  that 
*'if  Congress  would  drive  out  the  friars  and  confiscate 
every  inch  of  church  property  in  the  Philippine  Islands, 
the  bottom  would  drop  out  of  the  insurrection  within 
one  week;  the  inhabitants  of  Luzon  are  completely  under 
the  church"  I  deem  it  proper  to  make  the  following  pub- 
lic statement: 

"  'Knowing  what  I  do  from  most  reliable  authority 
of  General  Funston's  broad-mindedness  and  sense  of  fair- 
ness, I  do  not  believe  that  he  has  been  quoted  correctly. 
He  may  have  stated  that  the  insurgents  demand  this 
as  a  condition  of  peace;  but  that  he  gave  them  as  his  own 
sentiments  I  cannot  credit.  From  my  own  experience  I 
know  how  easily  it  is  to  be  misquoted.  All  I  can  say  is, 
if  General  Funston  did  make  this  statement,  he  mani- 
fested a  dense  ignorance  of  the  work  done  by  the  reli- 
gious orders  in  this  archipelago. 

"  'He  is  quoted  as  saying:  "The  inhabitants  of  Luzon 
are  completely  under  the  church."  Now,  I  would  ask, 
how  can  this  be  possible  when  every  priest  (with  the 
exception  of  a  few  natives)  in  the  island  of  Luzon,  outside 
of  the  walled  city  of  Manila,  is  a  prisoner  of  the  insur- 
gents? For  the  last  eighteen  months  this  state  of  affairs 
has  existed,  and  during  all  this  period  more  than  350 


392       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

friars  have  been  undergoing  unheard-of  torture  in  insur- 
gent dungeons.  This  being  a  fact,  it  is  hard  for  me  to 
see  how  the  islands  can  be  "under  the  friars."  It  looks 
to  me  as  though  just  the  opposite  were  the  case. 

"  *As  to  the  confiscation  of  the  estates,  you  might  as 
well  talk  of  confiscating  the  estates  of  the  Vanderbilts, 
the  Astors  and  other  millionaires  whose  estates  have  in 
the  course  of  years  grown  so  wonderfully.  There  would 
be  just  as  much  right  and  justice  in  one  case  as  in  the 
other.  The  estates  of  the  religious  orders  have  been 
acquired  in  the  usual  way  by  purchase. 

"  Tn  a  short  time  I  will  start  for  the  Philippines  and 
I  will  personally  investigate  all  charges  made  against  reli- 
gious orders,  titles  of  property,  etc.  Until  I  have  com- 
pleted my  work'  I  would  ask  the  good  people  of  the 
United  States  not  to  be  too  ready  to  swallow  as  facts  the 
opinions  of  gentlemen  whose  previous  training  and  lack 
of  opportunities  to  get  at  the  real  facts  do  not  warrant 
their  statements  concerning  the  Catholic  ministers  of  reli- 
gion. 

*'  'One  word  now  on  another  subject.  It  seems  that  it 
is  said  that  the  object  of  my  visit  to  the  White  House  on 
Saturday  was  to  protest  against  the  looting  and  dese- 
crating of  the  churches  in  the  Philippines.  This  was  not 
the  case.  As  to  the  looting  and  desecrating  of  these 
churches,  I  am  informed  by  a  person  whose  word  I  can- 
not doubt  that  this  looting  was  not  done  by  our  American 
soldiers,  but  by  the  insurgents  and  the  Chinese. 

"  T.  L.  Chappelle, 
"  'Archbishop  of  New  Orleans.'  " 

The  absurdity  of  sending  a  man  to  settle  the  question 
of  these  titles  in  the  Philippines  who  announces  before 
he  investigates  that  they  are  all  right  is  too  apparent. 

When  he  says  "As  to  the  confiscation  of  the  estates, 
you  might  as  well  talk  of  confiscating  the  estates  of  the 
Vanderbilts,  the  Astors  and  other  millionaires,"  he  fails 
to  state  the  fact  that  they  have  already  been  confiscated 


CONSPIRACY  OF  FRIARS.  393 

for  the  benefit  of  the  friars,  and  should  be  restored  to  the 
people, 

[SpeciM  Dispatch  to  the  Chicago  Record  from  a  Staff 
Correspondent.] 
"Old  Point  Comfort,  Va.,  April  22  (1900). — One  of  the 
first  and  perhaps  the  most  important  duties  of  the  com- 
mission upon  taking  charge  of  affairs  in  the  Philippine 
Islands  will  be  to  appoint  a  court  to  determine  titles  to 
real  estate,  of  which  more  than  half  the  occupied  area  of 
the  archipelago  is  in  dispute,  including  vast  tracts  of 
improved  agricultural  land  and  the  most  valuable 
improved  property  in  the  city  of  Manila.  This  is  the 
most  perplexing  and  important  problem  before  the  com- 
mission. Under  Article  VIII  of  the  treaty  of  Paris,  Spain 
cedes  all  public  property  in  the  Philippines  to  the  United 
States,  and  'it  is  hereby  declared  that  the  cession  stipu- 
lated shall  in  no  way  affect  the  property  rights  accorded 
by  custom  or  law  to  the  peaceful  holders  of  goods  of  any 
sort  in  the  provinces,  cities,  public  or  private  establish- 
ments, civil  or  ecclesiastical  corporations  or  any  other 
collectivity  which  has  any  legal  right  to  acquire  goods 
or  rights  in  the  ceded  or  abandoned  territory;  and  the 
same  applies  to  the  rights  and  properties  of  individuals 
of  any  nationality  whatsoever.' 

*'It  is  claimed  that  this  clumsy  paragraph  was  inserted 
in  the  treaty  at  the  instigation  of  the  monastic  brother- 
hoods for  the  purpose  of  protecting  them  in  the  posses- 
sion of  public  property  to  which  they  have  no  title,  but 
which  they  have  occupied  by  permission  of  the  civil 
authorities.  The  monastic  orders  own  or  occupy  more 
than  one-half  of  the  productive  territory  in  the  Philip- 
pine Islands  and  collect  the  rentals  upon  almost  an  equal 
proportion  of  city  real  estate,  which  formerly  belonged 
to  the  government  and  from  which  the  friars  have  never 
obtained  titles. 

"The  revenues  from  their  plantations  and  the  city  real 
estate  referred  to  have  been  applied  by  the  monks  to 
the  support  of  churches,  schools,  hospitals  and  other 
philanthropic  institutions  under  the  care  of  their  particu- 


394       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

lar  order,  both  in  Spain  and  in  the  Philippine  Islands,  and 
the  monks  were  originally  permitted  to  occupy  these 
lands  with  the  understanding  that  the  earnings^were  to 
be  used  for  such  purposes.  The  instructions  of  the  com- 
mission are  to  determine  what  portion  of  the  lands  and 
property  in  question  actually  belong  to  the  religious 
orders  by  purchase  or  pre-emption  at  an  early  date,  and 
to  that  they  will  be  given  a  clear  title  and  undisputed 
possession;  but  all  property  that  has  been  merely  occu- 
pied by  them  without  the  passing  of  a  title  will  be 
declared  public  property  and  the  revenues  will  be  col- 
lected for  the  benefit  of  the  government  instead  of  for 
the  church.  Before  the  occupation  of  the  Philippines  by 
the  United  States  army  a  considerable  amount  of  this 
property  was  conveyed  by  the  Civil  Governor  to  the 
Archbishop  or  to  the  priors  of  the  several  religious 
orders.  Those  transfers  will  not  be  recognized  because 
it  is  so  evident  that  they  were  made  in  order  to  deprive 
the  United  States  of  its  rightful  possessions." 

Other  transfers,  fully  as  fraudulent  on  their  face,  were 
made  as  publicly  reported. 

On  January  i,  1900,  the  Chicago  Record  published  the 
following  in  a  special  cable  from  Manila : 

"The  great  problem  in  the  Philippines,  after  the  insur- 
rection shall  have  been  suppressed,  will  be  the  question 
of  land  ownership.  The  immense  districts  now  held  by 
the  church  (meaning  religious  orders)  are  already  being 
transferred  to  English  syndicates,  under  the  belief  that 
possession  may  be  secured  under  the  control  of  private 
and  secular  corporations.  One  order  has  transferred  to 
an  English  syndicate  six  tracts  in  Bulacan,  Batangas, 
Batacan,  Cavite  and  Morong  provinces  for  a  considera- 
tion of  $3,000,000.  Another  large  district  near  Pasig 
was  recently  sold  to  Warner  Burns  for  $385,000. 

"When  the  surveyors  attempted  to  determine  the  limits 
of  the  tract  the  natives  occupying  the  land  violently  pro- 
tested. They  hesitated  to  appeal  to  the  Supreme  Court 
because  the  Chief  Justice  for  many  years  was  the  Arch- 
bishop's chief  legal  adviser.    General  uncertainty  prevails 


FUNSTON  ON  TITLES.  395 

as  to  the  validity  of  the  titles  to  church  property  in  the 
country  districts,  and  this  matter  will  be  a  source  of  great 
dissatisfaction  among  the  people  of  the  Philippines  unless 
a  commission  of  examiners  speedily  determines  the  right- 
ful owners  of  the  districts  now  held  by  the  orders  of  the 
church. 

"General  Funston  in  an  interview  yesterday  said: 
'Regarding  the  military  outlook,  I  am  very  hopeful  of 
an  early  end  of  fighting.  The  big  problem  henceforth 
will  be  the  church  ownership  of  land.  I  think  a  judicial 
commission,  from  whose  decision  there  should  be  no 
appeal,  should  be  appointed  definitely  to  determine  the 
legality  of  the  church's  title  to  the  land  it  occupies.  The 
commissioners  should  go  into  the  history  of  these  titles. 
They  should  examine  all  deeds  to  all  property.  It  might 
require  years  to  make  such  an  inquisition,  but  an  equita- 
ble adjustment  of  titles  now  will  remove  forever  a  source 
of  trouble  and  discontent.  New  American  deeds  should 
be  given  in  every  case.  In  the  last  ten  years  there  have 
been  many  cases  of  confiscation  of  lands. 

''  T  think  Catholics  at  home  make  a  great  mistake  in 
thinking  that  attacks  on  some  of  the  Spanish  priests 
here  are  attacks  on  the  Catholic  church.  They  come — 
these  Spanish  priests — under  an  entirely  different  cate- 
gory. I  belong  to  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  I  am 
sure  I  never  would  defend  some  of  these  orders  if  they 
were  Presbyterian.  Many  of  the  more  liberal  friars  are 
anxious  to  return  to  the  provincial  towns  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Americans.  The  natives  in  Luzon  prob- 
ably will  oppose  them  in  this,  but  reports  from  Mindanao 
indicate  that  the  natives  wish  their  former  friars  to  return 
and  re-establish  their  churches.' 

''John  T.  McCutcheon. 

The  New  York  Telegram  of  January  7, 1900,  published 
a  dispatch  from  'Paris,  dated  January  6,  from  which  we 
quote: 

"Your  correspondent  has  had  a  long  interview  on  the 
Philippine  situation  with  a  prominent  Philippine  resident 
in  Paris.     He  said:     T  beheve  if  President  McKinley 


396       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

were  to  announce  that  any  claims  the  Spanish  clergy 
have  to  property  in  Luzon  must  be  settled  by  due  process 
of  law,  either  in  American  or  Filipino  courts,  it  would 
mean  a  tremendous  blow  for  Aguinaldo.  I  am  confident 
if  such  were  done,  more  than  60  per  cent  of  Aguinaldo's 
followers  would  desert  him,  and  among  them  would  be 
the  most  of  the  influential  men  in  Luzon.  For  Spanish 
courts  have  already  decided  that  the  property  really 
belongs  to  the  people." 

Had  President  McKinley  and  his  advisers  acted  from 
the  first  in  accordance  with  the  dictates  either  of  honor, 
honesty  or  decency  in  their  dealings  with  the  Filipinos, 
we  would  have  had  no  war  with  them,  in  behalf  of  the 
hated  friars;  but  Admiral  Dewey  told  the  truth  plainly 
when  he  wrote  to  Senator  Lodge  that  they  only  "used" 
the  Filipinos  as  friends,  to  abuse  them  as  foes. 

They  led  them  to  fight  "our  common  enemy"  under 
the  belief  that  they  were  to  be  free,  only  to  betray  them 
by  bartering  away  both  their  land  and  liberty. 

No  greater  disgrace  ever  befell  any  nation  than  this 
which  our  mercenary  American  Seizers  have  brought 
upon  us  in  aping  the  Caesars  of  Rome. 

But  for  their  fatal  policy  of  blood,  blunder  and  bru- 
tality our  flag  would  have  been  welcomed  to  wave  forever 
in  loyal  friendship  over  Cuba,  Porto  Rico  and  the  Phil- 
ippines, and  instead  of  having  to  fight  for  a  foothold 
there,  the  millions  of  liberty-loving  hearts  in  those  lands 
would  have  upheld  our  banner  and  our  honor  there,  as 
their  own.  Our  "rulers"  were  warned  and  well  advised, 
but  would  not  listen. 


Jk-' 


ADVICE  BY  WILDMAN  AND  BARRETT.     397 

CHAPTER  LVII. 

OFFICIAL  WARNINGS— PAST  AND   PRESENT 
PRECEDENTS. 

Upon  page  338  of  Senate  Document  No.  62  of  the 
Fifty-fifth  Congress  is  a  letter  from  Mr.  Wildman  to 
Mr.  Moore  of  the  State  Department,  dated  Hongkong, 
July  18,  1898,  containing  these  words: 

"In  conclusion,  I  wish  to  put  myself  on  record  as 
stating  that  the  insurgent  government  of  the  Philippine 
Islands  cannot  be  dealt  with  as  though  they  were  North 
American  Indians,  willing  to  be  removed  from  one  res- 
ervation to  another,  at  the  whim  of  their  masters.*     *     * 

"Rounsevelle  Wildman, 
"Consul-General." 

John  Barrett,  ex-Minister  to  Siam,  who  was  with  Con- 
suls Wildman  and  Williams  when  Aguinaldo  started  for 
the  Philippines,  and  watched  events  on  the  ground,  said 
in  January,  1899: 

"May  I  go  humbly  on  record  as  declaring  that  it  would 
be  far  better  for  the  United  States  to  treat  this  leader 
and  his  people  with  caution  and  consideration,  eventually 
obtaining  the  end  to  be  desired  without  serious  loss  of 
life  and  great  expense,  than  to  peremptorily  demand  his 
absolute  surrender,  be  forced  into  a  most  unhappy  con- 
flict, which  would,  from  its  guerrilla  nature,  mean  the 
loss  of  hundreds  of  good  lives,  the  expenditure  of  large 
sums  of  money,  and,  saddest  and  worst  of  all,  the  devel- 
opment of  a  feeling  of  hatred  and  revenge  toward 
Americans,  among  eight  millions  of  subject  natives, 
which  the  kind  treatment  of  a  hundred  years  cannot 
remove?" 

Oscar  F.  WilHams,  Consul  to  Manila,  wrote  on  Janu- 
uary  18,  1899,  arguing  that  we  owed  Aguinaldo  and  his 
Filipino  forces  for  services  rendered  in  tfie  field,  and 
ought  to  pay  them  and  not  betray  them  for  their  sacri- 
fices and  sufferings,  and  he  said : 


398       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"If  the  United  States  were  to  take  over  the  Spanish 
East  Indies  to-day,  a  ledger  might  show  them  to  be  worth 
a  hundred  milHons  of  gold  more  than  they  would  have 
been  had  not  the  dictatorial  command  of  Aguinaldo  with- 
held the  torch  of  the  Filipinos  who  were  determined  to 
burn  all  Spanish  and  Roman  Catholic  property.  *  *  * 
I  wrote  Washington,  'Not  one  cent  for  bribery,  but  honest 
gold  for  honest  debt,'  and  I  believe  our  great  nation  will 
honor  my  position.  We  argue  that  patriotism  is  a  senti- 
ment of  noble  minds.  All  well.  Now  let  us  remember 
that  during  the  last  eighteen  months  the  number  of  Fili- 
pinos who  have  voluntarily  filled  patriot  graves  is  greater 
than  the  number  of  Americans  now  on  the  Philippine  Is- 
lands. To  be  blind  is  cruel ;  to  be  unjust  is  to  stain  our 
nation.  I  believe  the  application  of  the  'Golden  Rule' 
will  effect  all  by  diplomacy,  which  otherwise  will  cost 
thousands  of  lives  and  millions  more  of  gold." 

But  ''there  are  none  so  blind  as  those  who  will  not 
see,"  so  "the  blind  led  the  blind  and  both  fell  into  the 
ditch"  by  leaving  the  "path  of  plain  duty"  for  the  bloody 
trail  of  tyranny.  For  allowing  their  leaders  to  disregard 
the  Decalogue,  "Thou  shalt  not  kill.  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 
Thou  shalt  not  covet,"  and  to  break  the  Golden  Rule  of 
Christ,  ""Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to 
you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them,"  and  to  trample  upon  the 
sacred  principles  of  our  Republic,  as  announced  in  that 
Golden  Rule  of  politics,  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence, the  people  have  been  doomed  to  pay  the  penalty 
in  the  blood  of  brothers,  sons  and  kinsmen  by  the  thou- 
sands, and,  what  is  not  worthy  of  notice  in  comparison, 
money  by  the  millions. 

We  will  leave  it  to  those  worshippers  of  gold  and  sil- 
ver who  caused  it  to  count  the  cost  in  dollars  and  cents, 
while  we  call  your  attention  to  the  following  figures  from 
official  records: 

When  General  Lawton  and  Major  Logan    fell    the 


THE  DEATH  ROLL.  399 

country  was  cut  to  the  heart,  but  the  report  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  shows  that  1,853  other  brave  Americans 
died  fighting  in  the  PhiHppines,  and  1,964  were  wounded 
there,  from  July  i,  1898,-  to  May  24,  1900,  while  it  has 
been  claimed  that  for  every  American  that  falls  one  hun- 
dred Filipinos  are  placed  hors  de  combat. 

Every  death  in  this  conflict  is  a  murder,  by  the  bloody 
hand  of  greed,  and  brands  our  nation  with  the  mark  of 
Cain,  calling  for  future  vengeance,  which,  God  being 
just,  will  surely  come. 

But  all  these  deaths  and  dollars  are  as  nothing  com- 
pared to  the  destruction  of  hopes  and  homes  and  untold 
agony  of  human  hearts  consequent  upon  this  betrayal 
of  innocent  blood,  by  traitors  to  the  truth,  their  country, 
and  the  sacred  cause  of  human  rights. 

In  August,  1900,  the  death  roll  of  the  American  army 
in  the  Philippines  had  footed  up  2,394  who  died  in  the 
service. 

No  one  will  ever  know  how  many  victims  of  fever, 
exposure  and  suffering  drop  into  untimely  graves  at 
home. 

If  the  Filipinos  lose  one  hundred  to  our  one,  what  an 
overwhelming  weight  of  guilt  rests  upon  those  who 
made  this  war  of  murder! 

The  following  verses  explain  their  own  purpose: 

DRAPE  YOUR  BANNERS. 

(In   memory   of  the    boys   in   blue   who   fell   bravely   fighting 
Filipino  patriots  under  orders.) 

Drape  your  banners  for  the  dead; 
March  with  slow  and  measured  tread, 

Muffled  drums  and  dirge  of  death, 
Heaving  hearts  and  bated  breath, 

Tears  and  flowers  to  deck  the  graves 
Of  our  nation's  noblest  braves, 


40O       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Those  who  fell  for  you  and  me, 
Fighting  those  who  would  be  free! 

Dearest,  truest,  precious  dead. 
Priceless  blood  so  basely  shed, 

'Neath  "The  Banner  of  the  Free," 
Dealing  death  to  Liberty! 

God  forgive  the  land  that  gave 
Such  a  task  unto  the  brave! 

God  forgive  if  we  forget 
To  reprove  the  recreant  yet! 

God  forgive  if  we  should  fail 

Yet  to  make  such  miscreants  quail — 

Those  who  stain  our  banner  bright 
With  this  deed,  as  dark  as  night! 

Would  our  tears  might  cleanse  the  stain, 
As  we  weep  above  the  slain. 

That  our  banner  yet  might  be 
But  the  Banner  of  the  Free! 

God  in  heaven,  help,  we  pray, 
Yet  to  wash  this  stain  away. 

May  the  flag  we  love  the  best 
Be  the  emblem  of  the  blest. 

May  the  land  we  love  the  most 
Be  the  freeman's  proudest  boast! 

This  our  prayer  as  now  we  spread 

Flowers  aT:)Ove  our  hallowed  dead — 

Help  us  by  Thy  grace  and  might 
To  maintain  the  cause  of  right! 

— H.  H.  Van  Meter. 
Chicago,  May  i8,  1899. 

The  Filipinos  were  forced  to  fight  for  the  freedom  they 
had  so  bravely  won,  or  submit  supinely  again  to  the  most 
outrageous  wrongs  of  the  friars,  whose  tyranny  and 
treachery  had  ruined  them  and  theirs. 


ENGLISH  PRECEDENT.  401 

Senator  Hoar  stated  in  his  memorable  speech  of  April 
17,  1900,  before  the  Senate,  as  follows: 

''It  is  understood  that  the  Filipino  people  purpose  to 
dispossess  the  religious  orders  of  their  vast  real  estate 
possession.  They  are  Catholic.  But  they  desire  to  do 
what  Catholic  England  did  long  before  the  Reformation 
— prevent  the  engrossment  by  the  church  of  vast  and 
valuable  lands  needed  by  the  people.  As  I  understand  it, 
our  treaty  binds  us  to  confirm  those  titles,  and  that  is 
one  of  the  things  which  has  provoked  this  people  to  their 
desperate  resistance."    (See  page  12  of  his  speech.) 

And  upon  page  61  Mr.  Hoar  continues,  though, 
strangely  enough,  never  alluding  to  much  stronger  com- 
parisons and  more  striking  instances,  illustrating  the  case 
in  the  most  Catholic  countries  on  earth,  as  follows : 

'The  reforms  demanded,  and  for  which  they  were 
struggling,  are  not  unlike  those  set  forth  in  our  address 
to  the  King,  and  our  address  to  the  people  of  England 
in  1774-5.  They  demanded  that  the  lands  held  in  mort- 
main by  the  church  should  be  returned  to  the  town- 
ships, or  to  the  people,  just  as  in  the  early  history  of 
England,  when  she  was  Catholic,  the  people  passed  the 
statues  against  mortmain  and  Hmited  the  holding  of 
lands  by  ecclesiastic  authority." 

But  we  do  not  need  to  look  backward  nor  across  the 
sea,  or  go  to  a  Protestant  nation,  for  a  precedent,  when 
we  have  one  right  at  hand  now,  next  door  to  us;  for 
Mexico,  as  already  stated,  though  the  most  Catholic  of 
all  America  then,  as  she  still  seems,  passed  through  the 
same  paroxysms  until  she  expelled  the  religious  orders, 
overthrowing  her  hierarchal  oppressors,  and  putting  the 
title  to  stolen  estates  and  confiscated  property  back  into 
the  possession  of  the  people  for  public  purposes. 

To  turn  to  the  most  Catholic  country — France,  for 
precedent,  we  find  the  following  right  at  the  present  time. 


402        THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

in  three  special  dispatches,  the  first  from  the  Chicago 
Evening  Post  of  December  4,  1899: 

*'New  York,  December  4  (1899). — The  Paris  corre- 
spondent of  the  Tribune  writes:  Popular  reaction 
against  the  ecclesiastical  propaganda  attacks  upon  the 
republic  has  already  been  aroused.  The  police  raid  made 
upon  the  premises  of  the  Assumptionist  Fathers  by 
order  of  M.  Waldeck-Rousseau  is  emphatically  indorsed 
by  the  Republican  press  throughout  the  country  and  is 
hailed  with  enthusiasm  by  the  entire  Voltairian  element 
in  France.  The  Cabinet  has  signified  its  intention  of 
prosecuting  the  Assumptionists  and  other  religious  con- 
gregations as  members  of  illegal  associations.  The 
domiciliary  visits  made  at  the  Assumptionist  establish- 
ments in  Paris  and  the  provinces,  including  the  editors, 
compositors  and  printing-rooms  of  the  Croix,  the  cler- 
ical newspaper  which  took  a  leading  part  in  the  Dreyfus 
prosecution,  are  likely  to  be  followed  by  similar  measures 
against  other  Roman  Catholic  associations. 

*'  'The  Assumptionists,  or,  to  give  them  their  full  title, 
*'The  Augustin  Fathers  of  the  Assumption,"  were  dis- 
persed by  the  Gambetta  and  Ferry  laws  in  1880.  This 
militant  community  has  since  gradually  regained  posses- 
sion of  its  former  convents  and  property,  and,  under  the 
guise  of  religious  propaganda  and  works  of  charity,  has 
for  several  years  carried  on  a  political  campaign  against 
Republican  institutions.  The  Croix  feigns  to  accept  the 
Pontifical  directions  to  adhere  to  the  existing  regime, 
but  in  reality  the  republic  has  no  more  bitter  nor  more 
dangerous  enemy. 

"  'Sincere  and  broad-minded  Catholics  like  the  late 
Count  Montalambert,  like  Etinne  Lamy  and  like  M. 
Cornely  are  denounced  in  the  Croix  as  if  they  were 
heathens.  The  Croix  also  strives  to  put  down  the  idea 
of  "rallying"  to  the  republic,  which  was  commended  by 
Leo  XIII  in  his  encyclical  to  the  French  bishops.'  " 

[Copyright,  1900,  by  the  Chicago  Record.] 
"Rome,  February  15. — The  latest  rumor  in  Vatican 
circles     regarding     the*  tension    between    the     French 


PAPAL  APPROVAL.  403 

government  and  the  administration  of  the  Holy  See, 
growing  out  of  the  condemnation  of  the  Assumptionist 
Fathers,  has  it  that  M:.  Waldeck-Rousseau,  the  French 
Premier,  has  addressed  to  the  Pope  what,  in  essence,  is 
an  ultimatum. 

*lt  is  declared  that  M.  Waldeck-Rousseau  has  in- 
formed his  holiness  of  his  intention  to  crush  absolutely 
the  French  clergy's  opposition  to  the  established  gov- 
ernment. In  this  act  of  discipline  he  hopes  the  Vatican 
will  not  see  fit  to  interfere,  since  the  contrary  course  will 
endanger  the  concordat  and  the  continuation  of  the 
annual  contribution  of  50,000,000  francs  ($10,000,000) 
voted  by  the  Chamber  to  the  French  church." 

[By  the  Associated  Press.] 

"Paris,  March  6  (1900). — The  Appeal  Court  to-day 
upheld  the  sentence  of  dissolution  pronounced  against 
the  Order  of  Assumptionist  Fathers  by  the  lower  court, 
but  granted  them  relief  from  the  fine  of  16  francs  each, 
in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  first-offenders 
law.  This  concession  is  of  no  importance,  as  the 
fathers  still  have  to  pay  the  heavy  cost  of  the  proceed- 
ings." 

The  Holy  Father  himself  has  refused  to  intercede  for 
them. 

The  following  regarding  the  final  report  of  Archbishop 
Chappelle  may  be  fraught  with  great  and  grave  import, 
not  only  for  the  friars  and  Filipinos,  but  for  the  future 
of  the  church  in  America,  as  well  as  in  the  Philippines, 
so  we  call  especial  and  serious  attention  to  it: 
[By  the  Associated  Press.] 

'Washington,  D.  C,  August  18. — Archbishop  Chap- 
pelle, the  Apostolic  Delegate  to  the  Philippines,  has 
written  to  one  of  the  pastors  here  that  his  investigation 
of  church  affairs  there  is  about  ended  and  he  expects  to 
make  his  personal  report  to  the  Pope  early  in  Novem- 
ber. It  is  not  stated,  however,  whether  his  views  on  the 
retention  of  ecclesiastical  property  by  the  local  friars 
coincide    with    those  of    Dr.  Nozaleda,  Archbishop  of 


404        THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Manila,  who  is  outspoken  in  their  favor.  For  some  time 
there  have  been  rumors  that  Dr.  Chappelle  is  strongly 
in  favor  of  the  friars,  but  nothing  definite  on  the  subject 
will  be  known  until  he  acquaints  Pope  Leo  with  the 
result  of  his  observations." 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  Pope  will  use  this  report  for 
his  own  private  information  only,  and  not  attempt  to 
influence  the  United  States  still  to  reinstate  the  Spanish 
friars  in  the  Philippines,  for  the  future,  contrary  to  the 
canonical  law  of  the  church,  the  decrees  of  the  Council 
of  Trent,  and  the  Papal  bull  prohibiting  their  occupation 
of  those  parishes,  for  any  further  interference  in  the 
PhiHppines  might  result  in  more  serious  troubles  even 
here  in  America.  • 

The  following  recent  press  dispatch,  headed,  "Ire- 
land's Message  from  Leo,"  clipped  from  The  Times- 
Herald  of  Chicago,  of  October  2,  1900,  is  apropos  in  this 
connection : 

[By  the  Associated  Press.] 

"London,  Oct.  i  (1900). — Archbishop  Ireland,  who  has 
arrived  here  from  Rome  on  his  way  to  the  United  States, 
in  an  interview  to-day  is  quoted  as  saying :  'In  one  of  the 
audiences  which  he  granted  me  the  pope  said:  *We  are 
well  pleased  with  the  relations  of  the  American  govern- 
ment to  the  church  in  Cuba  and  the  Philippines.  The 
American  government  gives  proof  of  good  will  and  ex- 
hibits a  spirit  of  justice  and  respect  for  the  liberty  and 
rights  of  the  church.  You  will  thank,  in  my  name,  the 
President  of  the  Republic  for  what  is  being  done.' 

"  'When  I  repeated  to  Cardinal  Rampolla  (the  papal 
secretary  of  state)  my  interview  with  the  pope,  the  Car- 
dinal declared  such  statements  were  what  he  personally 
believed  and  knew  to  be  true,  and  that  I  was  at  liberty 
to  repeat  them  to  the  American  people.  Furthermore, 
Cardinal  Rampolla  said  that,  on  no  less  than  three  dif- 
ferent occasions,  petitions  had  been  sent  to  the  Vatican 
in  the  name  of  the  Filipino  leaders,  asking  that  direct 
official  relations  be  opened  between  them  and  the  Vatican, 


CONSUMMATING  CONSPIRACY.  405 

but  the  Vatican  has  always  refused  to  Hsteii  to  such  pe- 
titions out  of  consideration  for  the  American  govern- 
ment.' " 

Viper  priests  and  vampire  poHticians,  versus  the  peo- 
ple, is  the  issue ! 


CHAPTER  LVIII. 

WHAT  WE   SHOULD   DO. 

The  following  extract  from  one  of  Mr.  McCutcheon's 
letters  gives  the  views  of  one  who  is  well  versed  by 
knowledge  and  experience: 

[Special  Correspondence  of  the  Chicago  Record.] 
"Hongkong,  May  i. — An  English  official  very  high 
in  the  government  service  in  Hongkong  has  been 
applying  the  fruits  of  long  years  in  colonial  work  to  a 
solution  of  the  Philippine  question.  In  order  that  the 
islands  may  become  successful  in  a  business  way  there 
are  three  things  which,  in  his  mind,  must  be  brought 
about. 

"These  three  things  are  free  trade,  free  admission  of 
Chinese  and  expulsion  of  the  friars." 

Passing  by  his  first  and  second  conditions,  we  quote 
what  he  has  to  say  concerning  the  third,  under  our  con- 
sideration.   It  seems  to  confirm  all  former  testimony: 

"  The  Filipinos,  from  all  I  hear,  are  lazy,  for  they 
know  that  nature  provides  them  nearly  enough  to  live 
upon  whether  or  not  they  Hft  a  hand.  When  they  have 
a  little  money  they  rest  a  while.  When  you  are  in  a 
great  hurry  to  get  your  crops  out  they  have  a  fiesta  or 
two.  Introduce  Chinese  labor  in  the  plantations  and  they 
would  be  obliged  in  the  interests  of  self-preservation  to 
abandon  their  lazy  habits  and  settle  down  earnestly  to 
work.  The  Chinese  are  more  intelligent  and  manage- 
able than  the  Filipinos,  if  what  I  hear  of  the  Filipinos  is 
true.'  " 


406       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

''It  is  generally  believed,"  I  answered,  "that  a  good 
deal  of  the  Filipinos'  indolence  came  from  a  dislike  to 
work  hard,  because  the  harder  he  worked  and  the  more 
he  produced  the  more  he  had  to  turn  over  to  the  friars 
who  own  the  land.  When  a  Filipino  had  gained  wealth 
he  at  once  became  the  prey  of  corrupt  Spanish  officials 
and  friars.  Perhaps  he  found  that  industry  didn't  pay 
him." 

*'  That  brings  me  to  my  third  condition — the  expul- 
sion of  the  friars.  Send  them  all  away.  The  Filipinos 
don't  want  them,  and  have  fought  two  rebellions  to  get 
rid  of  them.  They  will  always  be  a  menace  to  your  peace 
over  there,  and  they  should  go,  even  on  the  grounds  of 
military  necessity.  You  will  never  have  a  stable  peace  in 
the  islands  if  your  government  insists  upon  retaining  an 
element  toward  which  the  whole  people  are  united  in 
hostility.  The  friars  have  not  been  honest.  We  in 
Hongkong  and  Shanghai  know  that.  Why,  when  war 
between  Spain  and  the  United  States  seemed  probable, 
they  shipped  millions  of  dollars  from  the  Philippines  to 
this  city.  After  the  blockade  was  raised  a  great  deal 
more  money  came  over  here  and  to  Macao.  In  Shanghai 
two  or  three  big  blocks  of  apartment  houses  were  built 
with  money  that  came  over  from  the  Philippines.  Up 
in  Macao  there  are  400  or  500  waiting  the  chance  to  get 
back  to  the  Philippines  again,  and  from  what  I  hear  it 
seems  probable  that  your  government  intends  allowing 
the  friars  to  return  to  their  parishes.  And  if  they  return, 
in  my  opinion,  you  will  have  the  same  old  trouble  over 
again.  They  are  the  chief  root  of  the  Philippine 
trouble,  and  to  remedy  a  trouble  you  must  get  at  the 
root' " 

After  their  overwhelming  defeat  before  the  United 
States  Navy  and  the  united  armies  of  Americans  and 
Filipinos,  the  secret  political-rehgious  friends  of  these 
Spanish  friars  procured  for  them  the  full  fruits  of  com- 
plete victory  at  Paris,  without  striking  a  blow  or  paying 
one  penny  into  the  public  treasury  of  these  United 
States. 


COUNTING  THE  COST.  407 

To  free  them  from  the  FiHpinos  and  return  their 
stolen  possessions  to  them  has  already  cost  the  United 
States  the  $20,000,000  paid  Spain  plus  scores  of  millions 
more,  in  war  expenses,  to  say  nothing  of  blood  and  agony 
untold. 

To  fulfil  the  terms  of  that  treaty  has  cost  us  our 
national  honor,  and  to  continue  them,  contrary  to  the 
laws  of  right,  might  cost  us  our  national  life  yet. 
For  the  Filipinos,  in  fighting  for,  the  principles  of  civil 
and  religious  liberty,  and  the  rights  of  self-government, 
are  fighting  for  the  vital  and  foundation  principles  of 
republicanism,  democracy  and  liberty,  whereas  we,  in 
fighting  them,  are  fighting  against  our  own  organic  prin- 
ciples, institutions  and  conscience,  by  subverting  which 
we  must  inevitably  commit  national  suicide  ultimately. 

No  other  nations  may  be  able  to  annihilate  us,  but 
we  may  work  out  our  own  destruction,  or  salvation. 

Shall  we  seek  to  follow  the  path  of  justice,  right  and 
safety,  as  with  Mexico  in  the  '60s,  or  continue  the  con- 
trary course  in  the  Philippines? 

The  enormous  cost  of  "this  accursed  war"  of  conquest 
should  not  be  saddled  upon  the  Filipinos,  who  were 
forced  into  it  by  the  treachery  of  their  allies,  to  whom 
they  were  faithful  till  brutally  betrayed  by  them,  to  our 
"common  enemy."  It  should  be  borne  by  those  religious 
orders  who  have  been  the  cause  of  all  the  trouble. 

The  public  lands  which  they  have  appropriated  should 
be  taken  to  reimburse  the  American  government  in  this 
matter,  and  private  property  confiscated  for  them  should 
be  restored  to  its  rightful  owners,  after  a  rigid  investiga- 
tion, establishing  titles. 

The  church  property  should  accrue  for  the  benefit  of 
the  people  who  have  paid  for  it,  and  not  return  to  their 
persecutors. 


408        THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES.     ' 

Washington,  our  first  President,  asked  a  question 
which  we  put  to  our  present  President. 

After  speaking  in  his  farewell  address  of  the  dangers 
and  allurements  of  foreign  conquests,  alliances  and  com- 
pHcations,  he  said: 

"Our  detached  and  distant  situation  invites  and  enables 
us  to  pursue  a  different  course.  *  *  *  Why  forego 
the  advantages  of  so  peculiar  a  situation?  Why  quit  our 
own,  to  stand  on  foreign  ground?  Why,  by  interweaving 
our  destiny  with  that  of  any  part  of  Europe,  entangle  our 
peace  and  prosperity  in  the  toils  of  European  ambition, 
rivalship,  interest,  humor  or  caprice?  It  is  our  true 
policy  to  steer  clear  of  permanent  alliances  with  any  por- 
tion of  the  foreign  world." 

We  would  then  ask  why,  by  interweaving  our  destiny 
with  that  of  any  part  of  Asia,  imperil  our  peace  and  pros- 
perity? 

Why  should  we  form  an  alliance  either  for  or  against 
the  Empire  of  Great  Britain,  the  Holy  Roman  Empire, 
or  even  the  Mohammedan,  polygamous,  slave-holding, 
barbarous  Sultanate  of  Sulu?  As  Bishop  Spalding  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  church  said,  when  addressing  the  Lib- 
erty Meeting  in  Chicago,  on  April  30,  1899: 

"We  are  the  foremost  bearers  of  the  most  precious 
treasure  of  the  races.  In  the  success  of  the  experiment 
which  we  are  making  the  hopes  of  all  noble  and  generous 
souls  for  a  higher  life  of  mankind  are  centered.  If  we 
fail,  the  world  fails;  if  we  succeed,  we  shall  do  more  for 
the  good  of  men  than  if  we  conquered  all  the  islands  and 
continents. 

"Our  mission  is  to  show  that  popular  government  on  a 
vast  scale  is  compatible  with  the  best  culture,  the  purest 
religion,  the  highest  justice  and  that  it  can  permanently 
endure." 

On  May  2,  1899,  Rev.  Dr.  P.  S.  Henson  of  the  Bap- 
tist denomination,  in  addressing  the  so-called  Loyalist 


IMPERIALISM.  409 

Meeting  in  the   Auditorium,  in   Chicago,   said,   among 
other  things: 

"To-day  there  are  those  that  wave  the  Declaration  of 
Independence  in  our  faces  and  tell  us  that  the  thing  to 
do  is  to  deliver  over  those  islands  of  the  archipelago  in 
the  East  to  the  people  who  are  their  rightful  masters, 
for  'all  governments  derive  their  just  powers  from  the 
consent  of  the  governed.'  So  wrote  Thomas  Jefferson. 
Do  you  remember  that  the  Lord  said  to  Joshua,  'My  ser- 
vant is  dead!'  And  so  is  Thomas  Jefiferson.  I  do  not 
believe  that  Thomas  Jefiferson  was  infallible.  I  believe 
that  a  live  President  in  the  year  of  grace  1899  is  just  as 
much  of  an  authority  as  a  President  that  lived  and  died 
a  hundred  years  ago.  I  am  no  worshipper  of  a  saint 
just  because  he  is  dead.  Let  the  dead  bury  the  dead. 
As  to  that  hallowed  document  that  declares  that  all  gov- 
ernments derive  their  just  powers  from  the  consent  of 
the  governed,  if  that  is  to  be  literally  construed  there 
never  was  a  greater  falsehood  palmed  oflf  by  the  devil 
upon  a  credulous  world." 

The  dear  good  old  doctor  did  not  quote  the  Declara- 
tion aright,  for  it  says  distinctly,  "Governments  are  in- 
stituted among  men,"  not  the  government  of  God,  nor 
that  divinely  instituted  government  of  the  family,  "de- 
riving their  just  powers  from  the  consent  of  the  gov- 
erned," and  no  loyal  American,  no  true  Republican  or 
Democrat  can  deny  the  truth  of  this  fundamental  prin- 
ciple of  freedom. 

The  following  from  the  Chicago  Record  of  October  12, 
1899,  reporting  the  closing  exercises  of  the  great  peace 
jubilee  shows,  how  the  true  heart  of  America  beats  with 
the  Declaration: 

"People  streamed  out  of  Central  Music  Hall  from  the 
patriotic  mass-meeting  held  there  last  night — the  last 
meeting  of  the  great  autumn  festival — a  few  minutes 
before  the  lights  in  the  court  of  honor  went  out  for  the 
last  time. 


4IO       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

"The  crowd  which  had  filled  the  house  from  stage  to 
gallery  was  filled  with  patriotic  sentiment,  which  it  ex- 
pressed at  every  opportunity,  but  it  was  not  until  Rev. 
George  C.  Lorimer,  of  Boston,  had  said:  'I'm  not  going 
to  say  a  word  about  the  Philippine  question,  but  if  I  had 
to  choose  between  the  Declaration  of  Independence  or 
the  Philippine  islands,  I'd  choose  the  Declaration,'  that 
tumult  broke  forth. 

''At  those  words  applause  swept  over  the  house  in 
wave  after  wave,  rising  and  falling  like  the  ebb  and  flow 
of  the  tide,  while  above  the  sound  of  handclapping  and 
rapping  with  canes  arose  bravos  and  huzzas.  As  the 
cheering  finally  died  away  a  man  in  the  back  of  the  hall 
cried  out:  Take  'em  both!' " 

That  man  must  have  been  an  American,  for  we  would 
"take  them  both,"  and  all  the  world  besides,  but  there 
is  only  one  way  to  do  that,  and  that  is  by  being  true  to 
the  principles  of  our  Declaration. 

Then  we  can  win  and  hold  them,  with  their  "consent," 
but  not  otherwise! 

Abraham  Lincoln  declared  in  Independence  Hall,  en 
route  for  Washington,  in  1861,  with  the  clouds  of  the 
great  civil  war  hanging  dark  overhead,  and  rumbling 
with  ominous  roar  over  the  nation,  now  so  gloriously  re- 
united, thanks  to  God: 

"I  never  had  a  feeling  politically  that  did  not  spring 
from  the  sentiments  embodied  in  the  Declaration  of  In- 
dependence. *  *  *  Now,  my  friends,  can  this  coun- 
try be  saved  upon  this  basis?  If  it  can,  I  shall  consider 
myself  one  of  the  happiest  men  in  the  world  if  I  can 
help  to  save  it.  If  it  cannot  be  saved  upon  that  principle 
it  will  be  truly  awful.  But  if  this  country  cannot  be 
saved  without  giving  up  that  principle,  I  was  about  to 
say,  I  would  rather  be  assassinated  on  this  spot  than  sur- 
render it" 

Dear  old  heroic  soul,  he  did  both,  for  human  freedom! 
At  the  opening  of  the  last  session  of  the  Republican 


BISHOP  RYAN'S  PRAYER.  41 1 

National  Convention,  held  on  June  21,  1900,  in  Phila- 
delphia, to  nominate  William  McKinley  and  Theodore 
Roosevelt  for  President  and  Vice-President  of  the  United 
States,  Bishop  Ryan,  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church, 
offered  the  following  prayer  as  reported  by  press  dis- 
patches : 

"Oh,  Thou  divine  Son  of  God — 'the  figure  of  His 
substance  and  the  splendor  of  His  glory' — the  light  of 
light  who  illumines  every  man  who  cometh  into  this 
world,  we  lift  up  our  hearts  and  voices  to  Thee  who  as 
we  speak  sittest  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  to  Thee, 
Jesus  Christ,  and  pray  Thee  to  bless  this  great  assembly, 
this  nation  and  its  ruler. 

"Oh,  send  down  wisdom  that  sitteth  by  Thy  throne 
that  shall  illumine  the  intellects  and  purify  the  hearts 
of  Thy  servants,  and  suggest  such  principles  and  action 
as  may  best  conduce  to  the  permanent  welfare  of  Thy 
people.  May  our  rulers  rise  above  consideration  of  per- 
sonal or  party  interests  and  realize  the  awful  importance 
of  their  postition  as  ministers  of  Thy  power,  O  King  of 
Kings! 

"Unify  all  these  varied  elements,  that  they  may  hear, 
and  hearing  obey,  the  one  voice  of  authority  which  is  but 
the  echo  of  Thy  own  divine  voice.  And,  oh.  Spirit  of 
Love,  let  this  be  a  union  not  only  of  obedience  but  of 
aflfection.  And  if  in  the  past  any  injustice  has  been  done 
to  any  class  let  reparation  be  made!  Let  the  children  of 
those  whose  fathers  were  once  enslaved  be  never  made 
to  feel  inferiority,  and  let  the  children  of  the  forest,  whose 
ancestors  owned  the  glorious  mountains  and  rivers  and 
rich  plains  and  laughing  valleys  of  this  fair  land,  let  them 
be  loved  by  the  great  heart  of  the  nation.  And  we  ask 
of  Thee,  oh,  Spirit  of  Love  and  Unity,  to  banish  far 
from  this  land  all  rehgious  bigotry.  Bless,  oh,  Triune 
God,  the  glorious  young  country.  Make  us  truly  loyal 
to  Thee,  truly  grateful  to  Thee,  truly  obedient  to  Thee, 
that  walking  in  the  light  of  intelligence  and  in  the  vigor 
of  chastity  we  may  work  out  our  manifest  destiny  on 
earth,  and  may  fortunately  join  the  chorus  of  all  nations. 


412       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

chanting  'Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and 
to  the  Holy  Ghost.'    Amen." 

To  this  prayer  every  true  American  can  say,  Amen, 
with  this  one  exception,  we  believe,  that  we  wish  to 
''hear  and  obey,"  not,  "the  echo  of,"  but  the  "Divine 
Voice,"  of  God  alone. 

This  is  a  difference,  however,  as  divergent  as  life  and 
death,  light  and  darkness,  truth  and  falsehood,  which  we 
trust  does  not  exist  in  our  hearts  or  in  reality. 

To  God  alone  can  we  look  for  guidance,  with  wisdom. 

"To  give  the  victory  to  the  right,,  not  bloody  bullets, 
but  peaceful  ballots  only  are  necessary.  Thanks  to  our 
good  old  constitution,  and  organizations  under  it,  these 
alone  are  necessary.  It  only  needs  that  every  thinking 
man  should  go  to  the  polls  and  without  fear  and  preju- 
dice vote  as  he  thinks." — Complete  Works  of  Abraham 
Lincoln,  Vol.  L,  p.  427. 

We  close  with  the  words  of  Lincoln,  spoken  at  Peoria, 
Illinois,  on  October  16,  1854,  fully  as  fitting  to-day  as 
then: 

"Our  republican  robe  is  soiled  and  trailed  in  the  dust. 
Let  us  repurify  it.  Let  us  turn  and  wash  it  white  in  the 
spirit  if  not  the  blood  of  the  Revolution.  Let  us  turn 
slavery  from  its  claims  of  'moral  right,'  back  upon 
its  'existing  legal  right,'  and  its  arguments  of  necessity. 
Let  us  return  it  to  the  position  our  fathers  gave  it,  and 
there  let  it  rest  in  peace.  Let  us  readopt  the  Declaration 
of  Independence,  and  with  it  the  practices  and  policies 
which  harmonize  with  it.  Let  North  and  South — let  all 
Americans — let  all  lovers  of  liberty  everywhere  join  in 
the  great  and  good  work."  Pages  203-4  Lincoln's 
Complete  Works. 

Liberty,  justice  and  truth,  for  all  alike,  weak  and 
strong,  rich  and  poor,  high  and  low,  are  the  God  given 
rights  of  humanity.  Let  us  be  true  to  them,  and  loyal  to 
Him,  whose  rule  is  right. 


THE  NEW  ISSUE.  413 

THE    NEW    ISSUE,    THE    TRUE    ISSUE,    THE    ISSUE 

THAT  WILL  NOT  DOWN. 

A  Song  for  the  Anglo-Saxon  Race. 

By  H.  H.  Van  Meter. 

Has  justice  fled? 
Must  freedom  fly 

Before  the  banners  of  the  free? 
Why  should  we  tread 
On  those  who  die. 
For  love  of  land  and  liberty? 

Shall  we  forget 
The  grand  ideal 
That  made  our  fathers  truly  great? 
Or  shall  it  yet 
Become  the  real. 
The  glory  of  a  matchless  state? 

Why  should  our  hands 

Be  red  with  blood 

Of  those  who  struggle  to  be  free? 

Why  should  their  lands 

Be  swept  by  flood 

Of  flame  and  death  for  you  and  me? 

Is  there  not  room 
Still  to  attain 
To  grandest  glory,  greatest  good, 
And  yet  not  doom 
The  weak  in  vain 
To  strive  with  wrongs  which  we've  withstood? 

Shall  we  betray 
To  treacherous  greed 
The  sacred  cause  of  human  right? 
Or  shall  we  slay 
For  Christless  creed 
The  true  and  brave  in  freedom's  fight? 

Why  should  we  stain 
With  gory  guilt 
The  glorious  standards  of  the  free, 
While  thus  in  vain 
Their  blood  is  spilt 
Who  fall  and  die  for  liberty? 

Let  us  be  true 
To  freedom's  trust 

Bequeathed  to  us  at  price  untold, 


414       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

For  to  be  true, 
And  brave,  and  just, 
Is  better  far  than  fame  and  gold. 

For  greatest  good 
Is  greatest  gain. 
And  greatest  glory  at  the  last. 
When  understood 
A.11  else  is  vain 
To  perish  in  forgotten  past. 

Great  God,  forgive 
The  sin  and  shame 
That  shroud  the  ensigns  of  the  free, 
And  help  us  live 
For  fairer  fame 
And  truer  glory  yet  to  be. 

Is  Justice  dead? 
Must  Freedom  die 
Beneath  the  banners  of  the  free? 
Ne'er  be  it  said 
We  thus  deny — 
Our  duty  or  our  destiny! 


The  following  are  a  few  letters  of  approval  and  endorsements 
of  his  poems  entitled,  "The  New  Issue,  the  True  Issue,  the 
Issue  That  Will  Not  Down,"  and  "Right  Makes  Might,"  which 
have  been  received  by  Mr.  Van  Meter  from  the  Governors  of 
different  States: 

STATE  OF  WEST  VIRGINIA,  EXECUTIVE  CHAMBER, 
CHARLESTON. 


H.  H.  Van  Meter,  Esq. 

My  Dear  Friend:  I  have  carefully  read  your  two  poems,  en- 
titled respectively  "The  New  Issue,  the  True  Issue,  the  Issue 
That  Will  Not  Down,"  and  "Right  Makes  Might."  There  can 
be  no  question  but  that  the  sentiments  contained  in  these  two 
poems  are  right,  from  the  standpoint  of  Christianity  and  good 
morals.^  Therefore,  every  liberty  loving  citizen  cannot  do 
otherwise  than  endorse  them. 

Sincerely  and  truly  your  friend, 

G.  W.  Atkinson, 
(Governor  of  the  State  of  West  Virginia.) 


LETTERS  OF  APPROVAL.  415 

STATE  OF  MINNESOTA,  EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT, 
ST.  PAUL. 

H.  H.  Van  Meter,  Chicago,  111. 

Dear  Sir:  It  affords  me  much  pleasure  to  express  to  you 
my  approval  of  the  sentiments  expressed  in  the  verses  which  you 
inclose,  and  the  hope  that  these  sentiments  may  pervade  the 
whole  nation.  Yours  truly, 

John  Lind, 
(Governor  of  the  State  of  Minnesota.) 

STATE    OF    WASHINGTON,    EXECUTIVE    DEPART- 
MENT, OLYMPIA. 

Mr.  H.  H.  Van  Meter,  Chicago,  111. 

My  Dear  Sir:  I  have  read  your  verses  and  heartily  endorse 
the  sentiment  contained.  Indeed  I  do  not  think  that  any  good 
American  could  do  otherwise.  Very  respectfully  yours, 

J.  H.  Rogers, 
(Governor  of  the  State  of  Washington.) 

FROM  THE  GOVERNOR  OF  THE  STATE  OF 
MONTANA. 

Mr.  H.  H.  Van  Meter,  Chicago,  111. 

Dear  Sir:  I  most  cordially  and  cheerfully  endorse  the  sen- 
timent in  your  two  poems,  "The  New  Issue,  True  Issue,"  etc., 
and  "Right  Makes  Might."  Your:  truly, 

Robt.  B.  Smith, 
(Governor  of  the  State  of  Montana.) 

I  most  heartily  endorse  the  sentiments  expressed  in  Mr.  H. 
H.  Van  Meter's  poems  entitled,  "The  New  Issue,  the  True 
Issue,  the  Issue  That  Will  Not  Down,"  and  "Right  Makes 
Might." 

H.   S.    Pingree, 
(Governor  of  the  State  of  Michigan.) 

J.  F.  Johnston, 
(Governor  of  the  State  of  Alabama.) 

Reinhold    Sadler, 
(Governor  of  the  State  of  Nevada.) 
Andrew    E.    Lee, 
(Governor  of  the  State  of  South  Dakota.) 


4l6       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

CHAPTER  LIX. 

RESULTS  AND  TENDENCIES  OF   OUR  IMPERIALIS- 
TIC POLICY. 

In  his  letter  of  acceptance  of  September  7,  1900, 
Mr.  McKinley  states  that  certain  inviolable  rules  were 
laid  down  for  the  government  of  the  Philippines,  a  part 
of  which  we  quote,  as  he  gives  them: — 

'That  neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servitude  shall 
exist,  except  as  a  punishment  for  crime."  But  all  know, 
who  know  anything  about  these  matters,  that  slavery 
does  exist,  in  the  Philippines,  being  allowed  contrary 
to  our  Constitution,  under  a  treaty  with  the  Sultan  of 
Sulu,  unconstitutionally  enacted.  See  article  X  of  said 
treaty  of  August  20,  1899. 

He  also  adds:  "That  no  law  shall  be  passed  abridg- 
ing the  freedom  of  speech,  or  the  press,"  while  all  who 
are  informed  of  the  facts,  know  that  *'the  freedom  of 
speech,  or  the  press,"  there,  is  mere  mockery,  concerning 
which  we  quote  incontrovertible  authority: 

"The  Associated  Press, 

"Chicago,  April  2y,  1899. 
"H.  H.  VanMeter,  Esq.: 

"Dear  Sir:    There  is  a  very  strict  censorship  at  Manila. 
"Sincerely  yours, 

"Melville  E.  Stone, 
"General  Manager." 

On  July  30,  1899,  Mr.  Robert  M.  Collins,  correspond- 
ent of  the  Associated  Press,  reported  to  Mr.  Stone  in 
part  as  follows : 

"The  censorship  enforced  during  the  war  and  before 
the  beginning  of  it  was,  according  to  newspaper  men 
who  had  worked  in  Japan,  Turkey,  Greece,  Egypt,  and 
Russia  in  war  time,  and  in  Cuba  under  the  Weyler 
regime,  and  during  our  war,  so  much  more  stringent 


A  POLITICAL  CENSORSHIP.  417 

than  any  hitherto  attempted  that  we  were  astonished  that 
the  American  authorities  should  countenance  it,  and  were 
confident  that  pubHc  opinion  would  be  overwhelmingly 
against  it  if  its  methods  and  purposes  became  known. 
*  *  *  But  when  General  Otis  came  down  in  the  frank 
admission  that  it  was  not  intended  so  much  to  prevent 
newspapers  from  giving  information  and  assistance  to 
the  enemy  (the  legitimate  function  and  in  our  view  the 
only  legitimate  one  of  a  censorship),  but  to  keep  the 
knowledge  of  conditions  here  from  the  pubHc  at  home, 
and  when  the  censor  had  repeatedly  told  us,  in  ruling  out 
plain  statements  of  undisputed  facts,  'My  instructions 
are  to  let  nothing  go  that  can  hurt  the  administration,' 
we   concluded  that  protest  was  justifiable.     *     *     * 

'The  position  of  the  newspaper  correspondents  here 
is,  as  it  has  been  from  the  beginning,  most  difficult. 
Otis  had  closed  to  us  every  possible  source  of  informa- 
tion. *  *  ^  Such  strict  orders  against  talking  to  news- 
paper men  have  been  repeatedly  issued  that  when  we  go 
about  headquarters  the  officers  avoid  us  as  though  we 
had  smallpox,  because  they  are  afraid  to  be  seen  talking 
to  us.     *     *     * 

"Recently  I  filed  what  I  thought  a  most  inoffensive 
statement  that  the  business  men  who  had  appeared  be- 
fore the  commission  had  advocated  the  retention  of  the 
existing  silver  system  of  currency.  The  censor  said : 
'I  ought  not  to  let  that  go.  That  would  be  a  lift  for 
Bryan.  My  instructions  are  to  shut  of¥  everything  that 
could  hurt  McKinley's  administration.  That  is  free 
silver.' " 

On  July  17,  1899,  the  stafif  correspondents  of  Ameri- 
can newspapers  stationed  at  Manila  stated  unitedly  in 
public  protest : 

"The  censorship  has  compelled  us  to  participate  in  this 
misrepresentation  by  excising  or  altering  uncontroverted 
statements  of  facts  on  the  plea,  as  General  Otis  stated, 
that  'they  would  alarm  the  people  at  home,'  or  'have  the 
people  of  the  United  States  by  the  ears.'  " 

Mr.  John  F.  Bass,  correspondent  for  the  New  York 


4i8       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Herald  and  Harper's  Weekly,  declared,  "The  censorship 
is  political  instead  of  military." 

Thus  we  see  that  in  spite  of  Mr.  McKinley's  specious 
pretences,  a  political  censorship  of  press  and  speech,  the 
most  pernicious  and  perilous  instrum-ent  of  injustice  and 
usurpation,  has  been  established  for  him  in  the  Philip- 
pines. 

Mr.  McKinley  continues,  "That  no  law  shall  be  made 
respecting  an  establishment  of  religion,  or  prohibiting 
the  full  exercise  thereof,  and  that  the  free  exercise  and 
enjoyment  of  religious  profession  and  worship  without 
discrimination  or  preference,  shall  forever  be  allowed." 
It  is  not  the  laws,  but  the  violation  of  laws,  and  the  Con- 
stitution, of  which  we  complain. 

Mr.  McKinley  quotes  the  first  Philippine  Commis- 
sion's report  in  part,  as  follows,  referring  to  the  fitness 
of  the  Filipinos  for  self-government: 

"Their  lack  of  education  and  political  experience,  com- 
bined with  their  racial  and  linguistic  diversities,  dis- 
qualify them  in  spite  of  their  mental  gifts  and  domestic 
virtues,  to  undertake  the  task  of  governing  the  archi- 
pelago at  the  present  time.     *     *     * 

"Should  our  power  by  any  fataHty  be  withdrawn  the 
commission  believes  that  the  government  of  the  Philip- 
pines would  speedily  lapse  into  anarchy,  which  would 
excuse,  if  it  did  not  necessitate,  the  intervention  of  other 
powers  and  the  eventual  division  of  the  islands  among 
them.  Only  through  American  occupation,  therefore, 
is  the  idea  of  a  free,  self-governing  and  united  Philip- 
pine commonwealth  at  all  conceivable.     *     *     * 

"Thus  the  welfare  of  the  Filipinos  coincides  with  the 
dictates  of  national  honor  in  forbidding  our  abandonment 
of  the  archipelago." 

We  would  not  be  ungracious,  but  the  absolute  ab- 
surdity of  their  proposition  of  "a  free,  self-governing 
and  united  Philippine  commonwealth,"  governed  by  an- 
other nation,  against  its  will,  and  without  its  consent. 


IMPERIALISM  PAST  AND  PRESENT.        419 

needs  no  comment,  as  the  terms  are  too  contradictory, 
and  the  facts  too  contrary  to  each  other,  to  require  con- 
troversy for  refutation. 

Theirs  are  not  new  thoughts,  for  they  talk  as  did 
Talleyrand,  and  their  ideas  are  almost  identical  with 
those  of  the  French  "patriots"  of  1776  to  1786  who 
raved  against  giving  up  the  American  colonies,  which 
they  claimed  France  had  freed  from  English  greed,  and 
should  protect  from  foreign  aggression. 

To  them  M.  de  Lafayette  was  a  fool,  if  not  a  traitor 
and  a  knave,  and  Washington  was  an  adventurous  dic- 
tator, and  a  soldier  of  fortune. 

But  to  let  Talleyrand  speak  for  himself  and  them  we 
quote  his  own  words  as  they  follow,  written  Nov.  25, 
1782,  stating  frankly  before  doing  so,  that  the  au- 
thenticity of  this  letter  is  challenged  and  its  authorship 
claimed  by  a  member  of  the  Chicago  (legal)  bar : 

"^  *  *  g^^^  jji  addition  the  interests  of  humanity 
required  that  we  take  possess^'on  and  guarantee  to  the 
ignorant  and  disorderly  population,  so  long  in  a  chronic 
state  of  rebellion,  the  blessings  of  a  'stable  government. 
They  are  a  widely  separated,  dissimilar,  and  discordant 
community,  few  of  which  could  govern  themselves  under 
any  circumstances,  and  an  independent  nation  composed 
of  such  elements  is  an  Utopian  dream.  If  left  to  them- 
selves they  would  degenerate  to  the  condition  of  the 
aborigines,  Illini  Indians,  but  they  will  doubtless  fall  a 
prey  to  some  nation  not  possessed  of  the  fantastic  notions 
of  honor  which  seem  to  inspire  M,  de  Vergennes." 

In  the  same  "interests  of  humanity"  which  Talleyrand 
advocated,  as  oppossed  to  the  ideals  of  Lafayette  and 
Washington,  our  honorable  Commissioners  closed  their 
report  with  the  following  words,  which  we  believe  were 
written  in  sincerity,  but  biased  by  so-called  "patriotism:" 

"Our  control  means  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Philip- 
pines internal  peace  and  order,  a  guaranty  against  for- 


420       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

eign  aggression  and  against  the  dismemberment  of  their 
country,  commercial  and  industrial  prosperity  and  as 
large  a  share  of  the  affairs  of  government  as  they  shall 
prove  fit  to  take.  When  peace  and  prosperity  shall  have 
been  established  throughout  the  archipelago,  when  edu- 
cation shall  have  become  general,  then,  in  the  language 
of  a  leading  Filipino,  his  people  will,  under  our  guidance, 
'become  more  American  than  the  Americans  them- 
selves.' " 

Signed  by  J.  G.  Schurman,  George  Dewey,  Charles 
Denby  and  Dean  O.  Worcester. 

That  grand  old  patriot  of  the  other  type.  Dr.  Benja- 
min Franklin,  said,  in  answer  to  such  arguments: — 

"To  me  it  seems  that  neither  the  obtaining  or  retaining 
any  trade,  how  valuable  soever,  is*  an  object  for  which 
men  may  justly  spill  each  other's  blood.  That  the  true 
and  sure  means  of  extending  and  securing  commerce 
are  the  goodness  and  cheapness  of  commodities,  and 
that  the  profits  of  no  trade  can  ever  be  equal  to  the  ex- 
pense of  compelling  it  and  holding  it  by  fleets  and 
armies." 

For  those  who  assert,  as  did  President  McKinle>  of 
the  Filipinos,  in  his  Pittsburg  speech: 

"They  assailed  our  sovereignty  and  there  will  be  no 
useless  parley — no  pause  until  the  insurrection  is  sup- 
pressed and  American  authority  acknowledge  and  estab- 
lished," we  quote  again  from  the  "patriot"  Talleyrand: 

"But  M.  Adams  reaches  the  climax  of  impudence  in 
asserting  that  the  ragged  and  half-starved  guerrillas  un- 
der Washington,  armed  with  rusty  firelocks  and  pitch- 
forks, except  a  small  nucleus  equipped  by  our  liberality, 
overcame  the  disciplined  forces  of  England.  While  it 
seems  to  be  true  that  the  English  (with  a  view,  doubtless, 
to  render  our  position  harder)  made  some  important 
surrenders  to  the  rebels  in  the  absence  of  our  forces,  yet 
all  was  due  to  the  intervention  of  France,  and  it  was  an 
act  of  treachery  to  deny  her  sovereignty." 

The  Imperial  "patriots"  of  France  in  1782,  seem  to 


REVERTING  TO  TYRANNY.  421 

have  had  the  same  sentiments  as  the  American  Imperial- 
ists of  1900. 

So  history  repeats  itself,  and  humanity  swings  round 
the  circle  till  extremes  meet  just  where  we  would  expect 
the  opposites. 

For  those  so-called  American  "Patriots"  who  howl 
about  hauling  down  the  flag,  and  surrendering  American 
sovereignty,  we  quote  again  from  this  same  letter  of 
Talleyrand,  the  French  statesmen  and  "Patriot,"  who 
opposed  American  freedom  and  independence,  as  it  ex- 
presses their  sentiments  exactly: 

"We  are  making  history  to-day  and  it  will  record  the 
disgraceful  policy  of  the  government  in  completely 
abandoning  French  sovereignty  in  the  American  colon- 
ies, wrested  by  France  from  the  grasp  of  England.  You 
will  ask  why  the  triumph  of  our  army  and  navy,  and  not 
least  of  all  of  our  diplomacy,  should  have  such  a  miser- 
able result. 

"First,  this  M.  Adams,  w^ho  to  the  manners  of  a  Cos- 
sack joins  both  rugged  talents  and  'Yankee'  shrewdness, 
appeals  to  French  honor.  He  claims  that  M.  de  Lafay- 
ette assured  the  rebels  that  his  majesty  would  allow  them 
to  establish  their  independence.  *  *  *  jj^  quotes 
from  the  Declaration  of  Independence  that  governments 
'derive  their  just  powers  from  the  consent  of  the  gov- 
erned.' What  madness  to  pretend  to  govern  with  ab- 
stract ideas,  theoretical  generalities,  and  incomplete  no- 
tions of  equality!"  Our  so-called  American  "Patriots" 
should  shout  Amen! 

These  wonderful  words  of  our  martyr  President,  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  "Those  who  deny  freedom  for  others  de- 
serve it  not  themselves,  and  under  a  just  God  cannot  long 
retain  it,"  (page  533,  Lincoln's  Complete  Works,)  are  a 
fit  warning  for  us  to-day;  and  the  following  words, 
plainly  spoken,  "I  have  always  thought  that  all  men 
should  be  free,  but  if  any  should  be  slaves,  it  should  be 


422       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

first  those  who  desire  it  for  themselves  and  secondly 
those  who  desire  it  for  others,"  are,  if  possible,  even  more 
appropriate.  Great  and  grand  and  good  as  he  was,  he 
told  the  truth  when  he  said:  ''What  I  say  is,  no  man  is 
good  enough  to  govern  another  man  without  that  man's 
consent." 

But  we  need  not  go  back  to  Washington  or  even  to 
Lincoln  for  words  of  warning  or  wisdom  on  this  ques- 
tion, listening  to  our  President  and  his  cabinet,  in  the 
present  as  well  as  in  the  past  we  hear  words  worthy 
of  noble  men,  and  nobler  policies  than  they  represent  to- 
day, as  adherents  of  our  present  administrative  policy. 
Secretary  of  War  Root  has  said: 

"The  people  of  the  ceded  islands  have  acquired  a 
moral  right  to  be  treated  by  the  United  States  in  accord- 
ance with  the  underlying  principles  of  justice  and  free- 
dom which  we  have  declared  in  our  Constitution,  which 
are  the  essential  safeguards  of  every  individual  against 
the  powers  of  government,  not  because  those  provisions 
were  enacted  for  them,  but  because  they  are  essential 
limitations  inherent  in  the  very  existence  of  American 
government."    (See  annual  report.) 

Secretary  of  State  Day  wrote  in  his  preface  to  "Cas- 
tilian  Days,"  before  he  became  an  agent,  according  to 
Mr.  McKinley,  of  American  "Criminal  Aggression:" 
'There  are  those  who  think  the  Spaniards  are  not  fit  for 
freedom.  I  believe  that  no  people  are  fit  for  anything 
else." 

But,  knowing  that  there  are  those  who  will  claim 
with  Mr.  McKinley,  that  we  mean  to  make  these  people 
all  as  free  as  they  are  fit  to  be,  as  soon  as  they  are  "fit  for 
freedom,"  we  will  quote  his  words  first,  with  a  few  from 
the  president  of  the  Philippine  Commission,  and  Mr. 
Lincoln's  answer  following. 

Referring  to  Porto  Rico  the  President  said:    "I  recom- 


LINCOLN  VERSUS  McKINLEY.  423 

mend  that  Congress  pass  a  law  for  the  organization  of  a 
temporary  government,  which  shall  provide  for  the  ap- 
pointment by  the  President,  subject  to  confirmation  by 
the  Senate,  of  a  governor,  and  such  other  officers  as  the 
general  administration  of  the  island  may  require.  *  *  * 
I  have  not  thought  it  wise  to  commit  the  entire  govern- 
ment of  the  island  (Porto  Rico)  to  officers  selected  by 
the  people,  because  I  doubt  whether  in  habits,  training 
and  experience  they  are  such  as  to  fit  them  to  exercise 
at  once  so  large  a  degree  of  self-government." — Mes- 
sage of  December  5,  1899. 

Judge  W.  R.  Taft,  President  of  the  second  Philip- 
pine Commission,  wrote  in  a  letter  published  in  "The 
Manila  Freedom"  of  August  2,  1900,  that  the  Commis- 
sion had  been  sent  to  establish  "A  government  in  which 
the  citizens  of  the  islands  shall  exercise  as  large  a  meas- 
ure of  self-government  as  is  consistent  with  the  estab- 
lishment of  law  and  order.  Such  a  government  has  been 
established  in  Porto  Rico.  Further  than  this,  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  will  not  go."  Signed:  W. 
R.  Taft,  President. 

This  can  be  considered  as  authoritative  and  final,  as 
far  as  President  McKinley  is  concerned,  surely. 

Not  only  are  Lincoln's  and  McKinley's  logical  con- 
clusions antagonistic,  but  they  are  the  very  antitheses 
of  each  other,  as  see: 

"Those  arguments  that  are  made,  that  the  inferior 
race  are  to  be  treated  with  as  much  allowance  as  they 
are  capable  of  enjoying ;  that  as  much  is  to  be  done  for 
them  as  their  condition  will  allow — what  are  these  argu- 
ments? They  are  the  arguments  that  kings  have  made 
lor  the  enslaving  of  the  people  in  all  ages  of  the  world. 
You  will  find  that  all  the  arguments  of  king-craft  were 
always  of  this  class;  they  always  bestrode  the  necks  of 
the  people — not  that  they  wanted  to  do  it,  but  because 
the  people  were  better  off  for  being  ridden,  *  *  * 
Turn  it  every  way  you  will — whether  it  come  from  the 
mouth  of  a  king  as  an  excuse  for  enslaving  the  people  of 


424       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

his  country,  or  from  the  mouth  of  men  of  one  race,  as  a 
reason  for  enslaving  the  men  of  another  race — it  is  all 
the  same  old  serpent. — Lincoln's  Complete  Works.  Vol. 
I.    Page  259. 

That  our  readers  may  trace  the  trail  of  the  serpent  for 
themselves,  we  will  quote  from  an  address  of  King 
George  the  Third  of  Great  Britain  in  reply  to  a  protest 
of  the  Lord  Mayor,  Aldermen,  and  Commons  of  the  city 
of  London  against  sending  troops  to  America  to  coerce 
the  colonies  in  1776: — 

"I  deplore  with  the  deepest  concern  the  miseries  which 
a  great  part  of  my  subjects  in  North  America  have 
brought  upon  themselves  by  an  unjustifiable  resistance 
to  the  constitutional  authority  of  this  kingdom,  and  I 
shall  be  ready  and  happy  to  alleviate  those  miseries  by 
acts  of  mercy  and  clemency  whenever  that  authority  is 
established  and  the  now  existing  rebellion  is  at  an  end." 

Mr.  McKinley  might  as  well  have  quoted  King 
George's  own  words  frequently,  as  far  as  sentiments, 
actions  or  principles  are  concerned. 

"I  shall  use  the  authority  vested  in  me  by  the  Consti- 
tution and  the  statutes  to  uphold  the  sovereignty  of  the 
United  States  in  those  distant  islands,  as  in  all  other 
places  where  our  flag  rightfully  floats.  I  shall  put  at 
the  disposal  of  the  army  and  navy  all  the  means  which 
the  liberality  of  Congress  and  the  people  have  provided 
to  cause  this  unprovoked  and  wasteful  insurrection  to 
cease.  If  any  orders  of  mine  were  required  to  insure 
the  merciful  conduct  of  military  and  naval  operations 
they  would  not  be  lacking,  but  every  step  of  the  progress 
of  our  troops  has  been  marked  by  a  humanity  which  has 
surprised  even  the  misguided  insurgents.  The  truest 
kindness  to  them  will  be  a  swift  and  efifective  defeat  of 
their  present  leader.  The  hour  of  victory  will  be  the 
hour  of  clemency  and  reconstruction." — Mr.  McKinley's 
Proclamation,  Dec.  5,  1899. 


VIOLATED  FAITH. 


425 


Mr.  McKinley's  words  sound  like  an  echo  of  King 
George's  in  the  concluding  clause  of  each,  as  follows: 

King  George  III :  "I  shall  be  ready  and  happy  to  al- 
leviate those  miseries  by  acts  of  mercy  and  clemency 
whenever  that  authority  is  established  and  the  now  exist- 
ing rebellion  is  at  an  end." 

President  William  McKinley:  'The  hour  of  victory 
will  be  the  hour  of  clemency  and  reconstruction." 

The  sentiment  is  the  same,  but  while  King  George 
did  and  could  honestly  call  the  conflict  in  America  a 
''rebellion,"  because  the  colonies  of  America  belonged 
by  charter  rights,  protection,  and  all  the  laws  of  nations 
undeniably  to  the  British  Empire,  Mr.  McKinley  and  the 
world  know  that  we  have  no  honest  claim  to  the  Philip- 
pines, and  can  not  truthfully  term  the  people  "rebels" 
or  "insurgents"  or  "insurrectionists."  They  are  more 
truly  patriots  than  were  our  forefathers  of  "1776." 

We  conclude  with  the  following  quotations  from  Mr. 
McKinley's  letter  of  acceptance,  calling  attention  to  the 
carefully  prepared  chart  upon  the  following  pages  in 
connection  therewith: 

"The  articles  of  capitulation  of  the  city  of  Manila  on 
the  13th  of  August,  1898,  concluded  with  these  words: 
'This  city,  its  inhabitants,  its  churches  and  religious  wor- 
ship, its  educational  establishments  and  its  private  prop- 
erty of  all  descriptions,  are  placed  under  the  special 
safeguard  of  the  faith  and  honor  of  the  American  army.' 

"I  believe  that  this  pledge  has  been  faithfully  kept. 
As  a  high  and  sacred  obligation  rests  upon  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  to  give  protection  for  prop- 
erty and  life,  civil  and  religious  freedom  and  wise,  firm 
and  unselfish  guidance  in  the  paths  of  peace  and  pros- 
perity to  all  the  people  of  the  Philippine  islands,  I  charge 
this  commission  to  labor  for  the  full  performance  of  this 
obligation,  which  concerns  the  honor  and  conscience  of 
their  country,  in  the  firm  hope  that  through  all  their 


426       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

labors  the  inhabitants  of  the  Philippine  islands  may  come 
to  look  back  with  gratitude  to  the  day  when  God  gave 
victory  to  American  arms  at  Manila  and  set  their  land 
under  the  sovereignty  and  the  protection  of  the  people 
of  the  United  States." 

Mr.  John  Bass,  correspondent  for  the  New  York  Her- 
ald and  Harper's  Weekly,  wrote  as  follows: — 

"Taxes  are  higher  in  Manila  than  under  Spanish  rule, 
and  the  inhabitants  bitterly  complain.  Living  expenses 
have  doubled.  The  native  police  have  been  discharged 
and  Americans  appointed,  whose  administration  is  tyran- 
nical and  inefficient,  because  they  are  ignorant  of  the  lan- 
guage and  not  familiar  with  the  perpetrators  of  crime. 

"Murders  and  robberies,  old  inhabitants  say,  are  more 
numerous  than  ever  before.  Taxes  and  customs  duties 
are  being  used  to  support  the  army  instead  of  being  ap- 
plied to  municipal  necessities.  This  really  prolongs  the 
war  by  keeping  the  natives  irritated,  after  high-sounding 
promises  of  good  government." 

Mr.  McKinley's  promises  and  American  performances 
are  about  as  opposite  as  it  is  possible  for  professions  and 
practices  to  be. 

In  his  message  of  April  ii,  1898,  in  which  President 
McKinley  referred  to  a  war  of  intervention  in  these 
words :  *T  speak  not  of  forcible  annexation,  for  that 
can  not  be  thought  of.  That  by  our  code  of  morality 
would  be  criminal  aggression,"  he  also  said :  "On  this, 
as  on  every  other  trying  occasion,  safety  is  to  be  found 
in  a  rigid  adherence  to  principle,"  but  by  his  utter  disre- 
gard of  principle,  and  deplorable  departure  from  "the 
plain  path  of  duty,"  he  has  betrayed  the  Republic  accord- 
ing to  his  own  noble  words :  "Human  rights  and  consti- 
tutional privileges  must  not  be  forgotten  in  the  race  for 
wealth  and  commercial  supremacy.  The  government  by 
the  people,  must  be  by  the  people,  and  not  by  a  few  of 
the  people.  It  must  rest  upon  the  free  consent  of  the 
governed,  and  of  all  the  governed.  Power,  it  must  be 
remembered,  which  is  secured  by  oppression,  or  usurpa- 


BETRAYAL  OF  LIBERTY.  427 

tion,  or  by  any  form  of  injustice  is  soon  dethroned." — 
Wm.  McKinley  at  New  England  dinner  in  New  York 
City,  Aug.,  1890. 

As  it  is  right  to  free  the  Cubans,  and  the  Fihpinos  are, 
as  Admiral  Dewey  repeatedly  declared,  officially,  "more 
capable  of  self-government  than  the  natives  of  Cuba," 
it  would  be  right  to  free  the  Filipinos  and  wrong  not  to 
free  both.    Pages  383-4,  Senate  Document  No.  62,  part  2. 

Freedom  is  as  sacred  to  every  true  hearted  man  and 
woman  in  the  Philippines  as  in  Cuba,  or  America,  and 
justice  and  honor  are  equally  binding  everywhere. 

Perv^erting  the  war  for  freedom  in  Cuba,  into  this 
cruel,  cowardly  war  of  conquest  in  the  Philippines,  was 
as  dastardly  a  deed  as  ever  disgraced  any  nation. 

The  oft-repeated  assertion  that  "the  war  is  over"  seems 
as  false  as  many  of  the  other  myths  which  have  mystified 
the  truth  in  these  matters  from  first  to  last,  according 
to  the  following  official  information  from  the  command- 
ing general  himself,  noting  the  loss  of  53  soldiers: 

"Manila,  Sept.  28  (1900). — Adjutant-General,  Wash- 
ington: Sept.  II,  Capt.  Devereaux  Shields,  fifty-one 
men  company  F,  29th  regiment  United  States  volunteer 
infantry,  one  hospital  corps  man,  left  Santa  Cruz,  Mar- 
induque,  by  gunboat  Villalobos  for  Torrijos,  intending 
return  overland  to  Santa  Cruz.  Have  heard  nothing 
since  from  Shields.  Scarcely  doubt  entire  party  cap- 
tured, with  many  killed,  wounded,  Shields  among  latter. 

— MacArthur. 

(The  Associated  Press.) 
"Manila,  Oct.  8  (1900). — Four  troops  of  cavalry  and 
two  companies  of  infantry  have  recently  re-enforced 
General  Young  in  northern  Luzon,  where  the  insurgents 
are  concentrating  in  the  mountains  of  North  and  South 
Ilocos  provinces,  under  the  leadership  of  Aglipay,  the 
excommunicated  priest." 


428       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Aglipay  is  a  native  Roman  Catholic  priest,  who  with 
the  native  priesthood  had  cast  his  lot  with  the  Filipino 
people  in  their  insurrection  against  the  outrages  of  the 
foreign  Spanish  friars,  when  they  were  backed  by  the 
Spanish  Government,  as  they  now  seem  to  be  backed  by 
the  American  Government. 

The  present  war  is  a  continuation  of  that  conflict,  hav- 
ing been  forced  upon  the  Filipinos  by  the  provisions  of 
the  Treaty  of  Peace,  requiring  the  release  of  the  friars, 
their  return  to  the  Filipino  parishes,  and  the  retention 
by  Religious  Orders  of  vast  stolen  estates. 

The  Chicago  Record  of  October  9,  1900,  prints  por- 
tions of  a  letter  from  a  member  of  the  Thirtieth  regiment 
dated  Lucban,  Luzon,  July  3,  1900,  in  part  as  follows, 
which  we  quote  as  at  least  showing  the  spirit  with  which 
we  are  safeguarding  the  Filipino  people : 

"We  are  having  a  hot  time  over  in  this  country.  The 
'niggers'  are  getting  gay  and  would  not  pay  their  taxes, 
so  at  the  point  of  the  gun  we  made  them  shut  up  shop 
and  not  open  .to  sell  a  thing  to  either  natives  or  soldiers. 
They  made  a  big  kick,  but  it  did  them  no  good;  and 
then  what  insurgents  there  were  in  town  wearing  'amigo' 
(friend)  clothes  posted  up  a  sign,  written  in  Tagalog, 
that  any  one  paying  taxes  to  the  'American  dogs'  would 
be  killed.  We  expect  a  scrap  in  town  at  any  time,  but 
it  does  not  cut  any  ice  with  us.  We've  got  lots  of  am- 
munition and  can  make  it  hot  enough  for  them.  Our 
orders  are  to  kill  and  shoot  every  one  at  sight,  men, 
women  or  children.  Everything  goes.  At  a  little  scrap  we 
had  at  Mayjay  jay  with  the  ^niggers'  there  were  thirty- 
nine  rebels  killed  and  we  did  not  get  a  man  hit.  There  is 
an  American  out  of  the  37th,  who  was  a  prisoner  of  the 
'niggers,'  who  was  leading  them,  and  some  of  the  37th's 
detachment  saw  him.  It  will  go  hard  with  the  traitor 
if  we  get  him,  as  it  is  ordered  to  shoot  him  on  sight.  We 
take  prisoners  no  more.  It  is  too  much  trouble  to  guard 
them." 


SAMPLES  OF  MILITARISM.  429 

The  horrors  of  war  still  hang  like  a  death  pall  over  this 
people  struggling  bravely  to  be  free,  but  if  we  are  true  to 
our  trust  of  the  ages,  true  Republicans,  true  Democrats, 
and  true  Americans,  it  will  soon  cease  in  a  blessed  peace, 
by  the  bestowal  of  constitutional  liberty,  in  accordance 
with  republican  principles. 

Slavery  and  saloon  power,  polygamy  and  prostitution, 
censorship  of  press  and  suppression  of  free  speech,  taxa- 
tion without  representation,  and  arbitrary  appointments, 
instead  of  freedom  of  franchise,  contrary  to  our  own 
laws  and  constitution,  and  the  higher  laws  of  God,  are 
not  conducive  to  the  greatest  good  of  the  greatest  num- 
ber, nor  the  very  smallest  constituency. 

But,  to  be  true  to  the  truth,  we  quote  the  following 
news  items  condensed  froni  Manila  Freedom  of  dates 
designated,  as  samples  of  American  "civilization"  in  the 
Philippines :   (From  The  New  Voice) 

''Manila,  July  23  (1899). — A  gang  of  drunken  soldiers 
took  possession  of  the  San  Miguel  beer  hall  on  the  Escol- 
ta.  A  field  fight  was  soon  in  progress.  1  he  crazed  soldiers 
were  smashing  furniture  and  flourishing  revolvers  when 
Robert  Wallen,  a  guard  of  Company  I,  20th  Infantry, 
attempted  to  restore  order.  Thereupon  the  drunken  sol- 
diers set  upon  him.  One  hit  him  over  the  head  with  a 
chair.  Wallen  finally  fired  in  self-defense.  Instead  of 
hitting  any  of  the  rioters,  the  ball  plowed  its  way  through 
the  heart  of  Corporal  McGuire,  who  was  drinking  beer 
at  a  table,  but  not  actually  engaged  in  the  brawl.  This 
saloon  is  run  on  canteen  principles  and  sells  nothing 
stronger  than  beer." 

"Manila,  July  29  (1899). — Six  drunken  American  sol- 
diers entered  the  home  of  a  respectable  native  on  Calle 
Cervantes.  They  proceeded  to  terrorize  the  occupants, 
broke  open  trunks  and  helped  themselves  to  whatever 
was  wanted.  They  next  entered  the  home  of  another 
nearby  native,  Rufino  Sanches,  forcing  their  way  at  the 
point  of  a  **evolver.    After  helping  themselves  to  what- 


430       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

ever  they  wished,  two  of  the  reformers  held  the  strug- 
gUng  husband  by  force  while  the  others  ravished  the 
screaming  wife  before  his  eyes.  When  the  aged  mother 
of  the  woman  began  to  plead  for  mercy,  her  pleadings 
were  silenced  by  one  of  the  soldiers  who  knocked  her 
down  with  the  butt  of  his  revolver.  The  Httle  children 
had  fled  shrieking  from  the  house  and  notified  the  neigh- 
bors. When  the  police  arrived,  all  of  the  soldiers  had 
fled  save  one.  This  one  lay  on  the  floor  in  a  drunken 
slumber.  Later  three  more  of  the  assailants  were  cap- 
tured. It  is  one  of  the  most  realistic  lessons  in 
''benevolent  assimilation"  that  the  natives  of  this  neigh- 
borhood have  yet  had." 

"Manila,  Sept.  lo  (1899). — Corporal  Damhofifer  and 
Private  Connel,  both  of  Company  B,  Sixteenth  Infantry, 
started  out  to  civilize  the  Tondo  district.  In  pursuance 
of  the  great  work,  they  roj^bed  a  house  of  a  native  and 
ravished  three  native  women.  One  of  the  victims  was 
an  old  lady  sixty  years  of  age.  These  two  expansionists 
were  convicted  of  the  crime.  A  soldier  named  McBen- 
nett  of  the  same  company  who  was  implicated  in  the  out- 
rages is  not  yet  disposed  of." 

These  are  only  three  of  thousands  of  incidents  almost 
too  indecent  to  report  in  public  print  for  promiscuous 
circulation  which  show  how  the  city  of  Manila  has  been 
''placed  under  the  special  safeguard  of  the  faith  and  honor 
of  the  American  army,"  and  this  is  how,  according  to 
Senator  Beveridge,  we  have  become  "trustee  under  God 
of  the  civilization  of  the  world — to  'hold  fast  and  forever' 
the  Philippine  Islands  in  defiance  of  our  principles  and 
declarations." 

On  July  24,  1898,  (see  page  395  of  Senate  Document 
No.  62,  part  2,)  Aguinaldo  wrote  to  General  Thomas 
M.  Anderson  in  part  thus : 

"*  *  *  It  is  true  that  my  government  has  not  been 
acknowledged  by  any  of  the  foreign  powers,  but  we  ex- 
pected that  the  great  North  American  nation,  which 
struggled  first  for  its  independence,  and  afterwards  for 


FILIPINOS'  FEARS  REALIZED.  431 

the  abolition  of  slavery,  and  is  now  actually  struggling  for 
the  independence  of  Cuba,  would  look  upon  it  with 
greater  benevolence  than  any  other  nation." 

But  General  Otis  told  the  truth  when  he  stated,  on 
page  53  of  his  official  report  of  August  31,  1899: 

'The  formerly  expressed  fear  that  Spain  would  re- 
turn had  given  way  to  the  statement  that  it  was  the  in- 
tention of  the  United  States  to  replace  her  in  the  odious 
domination  which  she  had  exercised  for  centuries." 

And  now  that  statement  has  been  substantiated  by  cer- 
tainty, our  domination  having  already  proved  far  more 
destructive,  disastrous  and  demoralizing  even  than  the 
abominable  tyranny  of  Spain,  hard  as  it  may  be  for  an 
American  to  realize  it,  and  humiUating  as  it  is  to  ac- 
knowledge this. 

A  false  policy  has  compelled  its  promoters  to  defend 
it  by  a  campaign  of  falsehood  from  first  to  last. 

To  defeat  this  policy  by  refuting  their  falsehoods,  has 
been  and  is  the  sole  purpose  of  this  pubHcation. 

When  the  American  people  know  the  truth,  as  they 
soon  will,  we  firmly  believe  the  American  conscience 
will  right  the  wrong. 

The  infamy  of  our  occupation  of  the  Philippines  can 
not  possibly  or  properly  be  printed  in  full,  but  we  believe 
enough  has  been  published  now  to  open  the  eyes  of  all 
honest  Americans  to  ascertain  the  truth  of  the  situation 
there. 

We  ask  no  one  to  take  our  words  for  it,  but  we  beg  all 
to  ascertain  the  truth  and  act  according  to  conscience  and 
the  duty  of  the  day. 

To  give  an  illustration  of  this  we  append  herewith  a 
chart  of  Manila  by  Mr.  William  E.  Johnson,  the  special 
commissioner  of  the  New  Voice,  which  he  prepared  upon 
the  spot,  showing  how  "the  faith  and  honor  of  the  Ameri- 


432       THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

can  army  safeguard  the  city  of  Manila,"  in  these  matters, 
"which  concern  the  honor  and  conscience  of  our  coun- 
try." The  black  squares  are  to  show  the  location  of 
1,109  licensed  liquor  saloons  or  stands,  but  do  not 
designate  the  200  houses  of  ill  fame,  or  600  opium  dens, 
licensed  as  saloons,  nor  the  many  army  canteens,  all 
under  strict  military  supervision  and  control.  Besides 
these,  there  are  hundreds  of  Wind  pigs,  about  25  distil- 
leries, and  one  full-fledged  brewery,  which,  according  to 
the  certificate  of  its  superintendent,  has  increased  its  busi- 
ness 500  per  cent  since  the  introduction  of  American 
''civilization." 

These  blessings  of  "benevolent  assimilation"  abound 
throughout  all  "pacified"  portions  of  the  Philippines, 
hundreds  of  army  canteens  and  American  saloons  being 
scattered  broadcast,  with  governmental  military  broth- 
els,— "which  concern  the  honor  and  conscience"  of  our 
country. 

These  places  all  being  subject  to  American  military 
control  show  further  how  the  Philippines  are  placed  un- 
der the  special  safeguard  of  the  faith  and  honor  of  the 
American  Army,  for  one  order  from  the  President,  prop- 
erly enforced,  would  wipe  them  out,  and  do  away  with 
this  damning  disgrace. 


on  of  Manila  and  Suburbs 


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